Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you are an imposter? (2020) [pdf]

Imposter syndrome is not about reasoned self-assessment, it is specifically and pretty much by definition an irrational belief held by someone despite clear evidence to the contrary. As such, this does not mean it isn't a real thing, or that as the article's author claims it is some sort of humble brag or other form of self promotion.

Like any irrational belief, simply telling the person it's irrational or providing evidence they are undoubtedly already aware of is not a cure all for this state of mind. In this, it's more like OCD. (and in fact imposter syndrome often coexists with forms of mental health issues) Telling an OCD person who just checked the doorknob for the 3rd time that it's locked, they don't need to check a 4th, they know & remember checking already... yeah, that doesn't work.

Of course then there's the issue of just how irrational aspects of imposter syndrome actually are. Often it's associated with the feeling that it was random chance or luck that landed someone where they are in life. Which is true! Wherever you are in life, it took countless minor and major events over which you had no control to get you where you are: Perhaps a friend happens to know someone where you're applying for a job and puts in a good word, putting you ahead of plenty of other candidates qualified for the job. Where you sit in a meeting one day ends up forging a fruitful professional friendship with the person next to you. You decide to check in on an old colleague on LinkedIn when you haven't bothered to login there for a year and see a job opportunity...

So why shouldn't someone feel that their place in life was the result of many random chance encounters or small choices or being in the right place at the right time? It's true! The problem enters into things only when a person focusses on those facts to the exclusion of all others and clings irrationally to the belief that those were the only factors. That getting a job with the help of a friend's recommendation didn't also mean that they were qualified for it anyway. That they might have developed a fruitful professional relationship with almost anyone they sat next to in the meeting given a few minutes of conversation. And so on.

Yes, people will find plenty of ways to humble brag and I'm sure this is one of them. But someone who automatically thinks anyone expressing this sentiment is just some variety of self-promoting braggart says more about their own toxic cynicism than their insight into the mindset and behavior of others.