Hitting RESET on Imposter Syndrome: How to Tell If You’re Driving It—and Take Back Your Power
- Danielle N. Adams-Wiltshire, PCC
- Jun 1
- 4 min read
Imposter syndrome is sneaky. It doesn’t always show up as “I’m not good enough.” Sometimes, it’s masked as perfectionism. Sometimes, it’s overcommitting, undercharging, or staying silent when we want to lead.
And if you’re used to being the only one in the room, or navigating systems that were never built for you—those inner voices can get loud.
But here’s the truth: imposter syndrome isn’t always something happening to you. Sometimes, without realizing it, you’re the one driving it.
Let’s talk about how to reset that dynamic—without shame. Without hustle. And without waiting for someone else to validate your value.
First, Let’s Redefine It
Imposter syndrome is the internal experience of doubting your abilities, feeling like a fraud despite evidence of success, and fearing eventual exposure as “not good enough” or “unqualified.” It often shows up as perfectionism, over-preparing, discounting achievements, or attributing success to luck rather than competence.
Importantly, imposter syndrome isn’t a clinical diagnosis—it’s a psychological pattern that’s deeply influenced by environment, messaging, and systems of power.
Myth: "Imposter syndrome is a personal flaw you just need to 'fix' with more confidence."
This framing ignores context—especially how workplaces and society contribute to feelings of inadequacy. If someone feels like they don’t belong or must constantly prove their worth, it might be because they actually aren’t being valued or included—not just because they lack self-esteem.
Imposter syndrome is the gap between your capability and your internal permission. It’s what happens when your lived experience, identity, or leadership style don’t fit the “template” you were told to follow.
It’s not a personal flaw. It’s a conditioned response to exclusion, pressure, and silence.
But when we internalize it, we end up reinforcing it. That’s why the first step to resetting imposter syndrome is recognizing your role in the pattern.
How might imposter syndrome differ for a woman of color?
For women of color—particularly Black and Indigenous women—imposter syndrome is often entangled with systemic exclusion, racialized stereotypes, and the burden of representation.
As a professional in the banking industry, there were things that you would never or seldom see me do, including wearing my hair in braids, speaking casually in slang or “street”, or pressing the status quo. Even my fashion choices bore a level of risk, like having a third piercing in my ear (two was considered the maximum then), wearing 4-inch heels (an inch above the “professional standard”), and having a very discreetly placed tattoo that was tucked away under a sleeve and a watch band.
I did all these things as if I could somehow hide the fact that a 5’10’ Black-twenty-something-woman had just entered the boardroom. But still, I had taken a granule of this self-doubt into the early stages of becoming a certified professional coach, grappling with the idea that my inner critic was "I'm not real enough" and not being believed by my peers or my instructor!
While white women may experience imposter syndrome as self-doubt in high-achieving spaces, Black women often carry the added weight of proving they deserve to be there at all, not just to themselves, but to others. This is not just internal; it’s reinforced externally by being questioned, overlooked, or underestimated.
Examples of how it shows up differently:
White Women | Black Women |
May overcompensate by striving for perfectionism in male-dominated settings. | May feel the need to “code-switch” or suppress cultural identity to be seen as professional. |
Might feel pressure to be likable or not “too ambitious.” | Might be labeled “angry” or “intimidating” when asserting themselves. |
Can sometimes talk about vulnerability more freely. | Often feel pressure to maintain a strong exterior (“strong Black woman” trope). |
How to Tell If You’re Driving It
Here are a few signs you might be in the driver’s seat:
You’re shrinking your ideas or voice in high-stakes spaces (even when you're the expert).
You’re micromanaging everything because you don’t trust it’ll go well unless you overfunction.
You constantly compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel.
You put off launches, applications, or conversations until it’s “perfect.”
None of this makes you weak—it makes you human. But now that you see it, you can interrupt it.
⚡️Step 1: Name the Narrative
QueenSuite RESET™ | Review/Reflect/Realize/Release
Ask yourself:
What story am I telling myself right now? Whose voice is it? Whose expectations am I trying to meet?
When you hear “I’m not ready” or “I don’t belong,” pause. That’s not truth. That’s programming. And anything programmed can be reset.
💡Step 2: Reclaim Your Energy
QueenSuite RESET™ | Energize
Imposter syndrome is an energy leak. It drains focus, joy, and confidence.To reclaim your power:
Close the open tabs. Stop collecting more credentials or approvals to prove yourself. Start applying what you already know.
Build a personal hype file. Keep a folder (digital or physical) of wins, praise, and moments you’re proud of.
Protect your peak hours. Do your most impactful work during your highest-energy time of day—and say no to draining commitments during that window.
>> Add a grounding practice: Take 90 seconds to breathe deeply, stretch, or step outside. Nervous energy often needs motion, not more mental noise.
🧭 Step 3: Lead with Boundaries, Not Proving
QueenSuite RESET™ | Strategize / Empower / Take Action
You don’t need to earn your place by doing more than anyone else. Leadership isn’t about constantly proving your worth. It’s about protecting your alignment and making decisions from clarity—not fear.
Try this instead of overcommitting:
“That’s not something I can take on right now, but here’s where I’m focused.”
Or instead of spiraling about what others might think:
“I’m not for everyone—and that’s a strength.”
>> “What’s one thing this week you can decline, delegate, or delay—and still show up as a leader?”
You Don’t Need to Be Someone Else to Belong
Imposter syndrome is not one-size-fits-all. For women of color, the experience is often more about navigating environments that actually make them feel like imposters through microaggressions, isolation, or lack of representation. The moment you start honoring your own voice, pace, and vision—you’ve already reset the pattern.
Imposter syndrome may still knock on your door. But you don’t have to answer it like you used to. Leadership starts where self-trust begins. Which step will you take today?
Ready to Build a Plan That Matches Your Power?
What’s your professional development plan for the next season of your leadership?
If you’re ready to stop driving imposter syndrome and start owning your energy, let’s talk.
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