Breaking free from academic self-doubt

In the late 1970s, psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes published a seminal study introducing the concept of the ‘imposter phenomenon’. First thought to solely affect high-achieving women, the term was used to describe an experience where successful people secretly see themselves as intellectual phonies.

Despite possessing real knowledge and outstanding accomplishments, these individuals “persist in believing that they are really not bright,” write Clance and Imes, “and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise”.

“Students often [fantasise] that they were mistakenly admitted to graduate school because of an error by the admissions committee,” the duo says in the 1978 study, published in the journal Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice.

One female professor from the sample told the researchers: “I’m not good enough to be on the faculty here. Some mistake was made in the selection process.”

Another, who possessed two master’s degrees, a PhD and many publications to her credit, considered herself unqualified to teach remedial classes in her field.

“In other words,” write Clance and Imes, “these women find innumerable means of negating any external evidence that contradicts their belief that they are, in reality, unintelligent.”

Years later, when Clance published a book titled The Impostor Phenomenon, the concept had well and truly entered the mainstream. It’s now more commonly referred to as ‘imposter syndrome’, a term that has achieved cultural saturation and prompted even some of the world’s brightest leaders to claim imposter feelings. 

“My whole short life,” writes New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, in her recently published memoir A Different Kind of Power, “I’d grappled with the idea that I was never quite good enough, that at any moment I would be caught short.” 

Michelle Obama, the first African American woman to serve as first lady, has spoken similarly of her lingering self-doubt. “I still have a little [bit of] imposter syndrome,” she told school students in 2018. “It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know?”

‘I doubted I was even ready’

Academia can be fertile ground for such thoughts and feelings. Not only is academic work complex and demanding, it’s also highly competitive.

“It can certainly feel like a very competitive and pressured environment,” says Michael Hughes, a PhD candidate with ACU’s Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry.

Like many fields, the academic world rewards output, formal achievements, and recognition.

“These are, of course, all very good things,” Michael adds, “but they can often be a harmful cocktail that produces self-doubt when you do not quite meet these expectations, or especially when you are at the start of your academic journey as a student.”

When he first started his PhD, Michael experienced an intense rush of imposter feelings.

“I wouldn’t say I was shocked, [but] I had a hard time adjusting, doubting that I was even ready for a PhD,” he recalls.

This is despite previous research experience as an honours student, where in 2024 he received a university honours medal for outstanding performance in his studies.

“I think academic environments tend to produce fragile egos unintentionally, because much of academia is ultimately about the accumulation of knowledge, and there is sometimes a pressure to pretend to know it all or ‘have it all together’,” he says.

“It’s a mask that people put on, where they pretend to know everything, and the fact is that nobody knows everything. Even senior academics are still learners and still students of their field. So I guess to a certain extent, everybody’s doing some pretending.”

‘Just good luck’

Michael’s experience is far from unique. For Ying Ma, a PhD candidate with ACU’s Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, the self-doubt she had carried for years became especially heavy in academia, casting a shadow over every classroom discussion and research presentation.

“At first I thought it was just the normal stress that comes with doctoral study,” she says. “But over time, I discovered that this feeling actually had a name: ‘The imposter phenomenon’.”

Like Michael, Ying excelled in her studies but found it difficult to connect her achievements and success to her own abilities.

“I would often think my accomplishments weren’t really the result of my effort, but just good luck,” she adds.

“And while I do believe luck can be a wonderful thing, it also made me question whether I truly deserved my place. Every time I compared myself to others, I would ask: Why can’t I do as well as they do?”

Ying’s research is now focused on imposter syndrome. Her PhD thesis examines the relationship between the phenomenon and various social factors, including parenting and its influences.

She attributes her own self-doubt to a lack of recognition from her parents. No matter how hard she tried, she felt it was never enough. 

Growing up without regular affirmation caused her to attribute her achievements to luck. The emotional pressure was often overwhelming.

“I was terrified that others would find out I wasn’t as capable as they imagined,” Ying says.

“Over time, this sense of not being ‘good enough’ began to take a real toll, with feelings of anxiety and stress lingering even after deadlines had passed.

“Friends, colleagues and even supervisors would tell me, ‘just do your best’. But for me, the hardest part was understanding what ‘my best’ really meant. The imposter feelings pushed me to raise the standard again and again, so I could never feel satisfied.”

A hidden strength?

While feelings of inadequacy can be deeply unsettling, the imposter phenomenon may be more nuanced than first thought. Recent research (see here and here) suggests that doubting your own competence can have unexpected benefits. 

“A little bit of self-doubt is very good for self-development,” says Dr Sandi Mann, a psychologist and lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK.

“The imposter syndrome people are the ones double checking their work, trying to get everything right, never satisfied, always looking for more training opportunities, and more learning opportunities, and these are all potentially good things.”

Rather than being all bad, the imposter phenomenon might be more like a double-edged sword, with both positive and negative outcomes. So, how might you go about managing the bad, while harnessing the good?

In a short documentary from BBC Ideas, Dr Mann suggests it can be helpful to pause and take stock of your achievements.

“If you think that you’re suffering from imposter syndrome, actually look objectively at your successes,” she says.

“Write down the things that you’re successful at, and then look at all the reasons why you might have achieved that success… It’s a bit of a reality check and it makes you stop and acknowledge your successes.”

‘You deserve the place you stand in’

For Ying Ma, this process of recognising success and growth proved that her accomplishments weren’t just luck; rather, they were the result of talent, effort and persistence. 

“To anyone who has experienced the same: the imposter phenomenon may lead you to doubt yourself, but it cannot erase the path you’ve walked,” she says.

“I know that for some, these feelings can become heavier and more persistent, even leading to burnout. But recognising the pattern is the first step toward breaking it. Acknowledge the feeling, but also remember that your effort and achievements are real, and you fully deserve the place you stand in today.”

Michael Hughes emphasises the value of being honest with yourself.

“Authentic self-reflection is important because it can often reshape the way one thinks,” he says. “This involves accepting and recognising your achievements and, indeed, failures. But it’s also about having boundaries with yourself and not letting your failures consume you.”

He highlights the importance of having candid conversations with academic colleagues, staff and mentors, as a way of rebuilding confidence.

“Their genuine interest in how I’m going and how my research is progressing has been encouraging,” says Michael, who is still in the early stages of his PhD. “It’s played a significant role in affirming my confidence.”

From time to time, he still hears the nagging inner voice that questions if he is really qualified or good enough. He manages it by using humour to lighten the mood, and reminding himself that he’s not alone.

“There is a whole community of researchers out there who also experience academic imposter syndrome,” he says. “Just knowing that is sometimes enough to feel that I’m doing okay. I’m on the right track. I’m making progress. And yes, my work is actually meaningful and making a difference to the world”.

Breaking free from academic self-doubt is a journey, not a destination. If you’d like to find out more:

• Assess where you stand: Take an imposter syndrome test

• Seek support: Connect with ACU’s counselling services

• Find community: Remember that you’re not alone – reach out to peers, supervisors, or ACU’s 24-hour Mental Health Support Line.