Journal For Imposter Syndrome - The Science of Journaling Through Imposter Syndrome

https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-imposter-syndrome

That nagging voice telling you your success is just luck and eventually everyone will figure out you're a fraud? It has a name: imposter syndrome. And despite affecting millions across all professional levels, it often feels deeply isolating.

We dive into the psychology behind these feelings, examining how our minds externalize success ("I got lucky") while internalizing failures ("I messed up"). This cognitive distortion creates a persistent pattern where no amount of achievement can overcome the sense of being an imposter. Women, minorities, and professionals in high-pressure environments often experience this phenomenon more intensely, leading to anxiety, missed opportunities, and genuine barriers to growth.

The power of journaling emerges as a surprisingly effective counter-strategy. By creating a structured record of accomplishments, skills employed, and challenges overcome, journaling directly challenges the imposter narrative with tangible evidence. We explore specific techniques—documenting daily achievements, writing counterarguments to negative thoughts, tracking emotional triggers, and breaking overwhelming tasks into manageable steps. A quality journal becomes more than a notebook; it transforms into an evidence locker against your inner critic.

Research confirms what practitioners have experienced: consistent journaling reduces anxiety, boosts self-awareness, improves confidence, and enhances emotional regulation. The physical act of transferring thoughts from mind to paper creates distance from destructive thought patterns while building a compelling case for your own competence.

Remember this: you are not a fraud. Your capabilities and worth are real. Consider how deliberately reflecting on your experiences might shift your perspective, fostering a more accurate sense of self-belief. What success have you dismissed as "just luck" today? That's where your journaling journey begins.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
Today we're getting intosomething I think a lot of us
wrestle with sometimes.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Definitely.

Speaker 1 (00:06):
That nagging feeling.
You know like you're faking it.
Successes are just luck andeventually everyone's going to
figure it out.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Imposter, syndrome yeah, surprisingly common.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Exactly, and we want to explore a really practical
way to start well dealing withthose feelings using journaling.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
And specifically how a journal designed for this kind
of reflection, like theLestallian ones we've looked at
before, can be a genuinelypowerful tool.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Right, so let's start there.
What is imposter syndrome,formally speaking?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Our sources dig into that, so fundamentally, it's the
psychological thing where youjust can't internalize your
accomplishments.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Despite external proof, like good grades, job
promotions, positive feedback.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
And still feel like a fraud.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Exactly, you feel like a fraud and you live with
this persistent fear of beingexposed.
It's not just, oh, a littlehumility, it's deeper.
A pattern, really yeah, it is Apattern often rooted in how we
attribute things.
We tend to blame ourselves forfailures.
I messed that up.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
But when things go well, it was luck where someone
helped me, or they just didn'tnotice the flaws.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Precisely.
You externalize the success,and journaling is powerful here
because it forces you gently todocument the actual skills and
effort you put in.
It directly challenges thatbias.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Okay, so it's that self-doubt overshadowing real
achievements.
The sources also mentionanxiety and perfectionism being
tied into this.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh, absolutely, Huge drivers.
The anxiety fuels this need tobe perfect, to work twice as
hard to make sure there are nomistakes that could possibly
expose you.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Which sounds exhausting.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
It is exhausting and it reinforces the idea that any
success is due to this massive,unsustainable effort or just
luck, not underlying competence.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
And you mentioned Dr Coakley's work earlier.
She's a big name in studyingthis right.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Does it affect everyone the same way?
Well, her research and otherssuggests it doesn't.
It seems to disproportionatelyaffect women, people from
minority backgrounds and folksin really high pressure, high
performance fields.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Like what kind of fields?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Think demanding academic programs.
So lots of college studentsreport feeling this way.
Healthcare professionalsobviously carry huge
responsibility, and anyone in areally competitive job market.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, you can see how those environments might like
amplify any underlyingself-doubt if you feel different
or the stakes feel incrediblyhigh.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
It creates fertile ground for those feelings to
take root and grow.
And it's not just about feelingbad, is it?
The sources point to realconsequences.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Right.
What kind of impacts are wetalking about?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, the chronic stress and anxiety that often
come with it can definitelycontribute to things like
depression, lower self-esteem.
That constant fear of failureisn't just internal noise.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
It affects how you act.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Totally.
It can hinder your jobperformance because maybe you
don't speak up with ideas.
It can strain relationships ifyou're constantly seeking
reassurance or projectinginsecurity and it really limits
personal growth.
If you're always playing itsafe, afraid to fail, you're
less likely to volunteer forthat challenging project or, you
know, apply for that promotion.

(03:11):
You miss opportunities becausethe fear holds you back.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
Okay, so it's clearly a significant issue.
Let's pivot to solutions then.
Journaling we know it's helpfulgenerally, but how specifically
does it help fight thisparticular feeling of being a
fraud?

Speaker 2 (03:27):
It works almost like a form of behavioral therapy,
really.
It provides a structured,private space to confront those
negative thoughts head on.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Instead of just letting them swirl around in
your head.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Exactly.
You get them down on paper.
It helps you identify thenegative self-perceptions,
fueling the imposter feelings,and then actively work on
building a more realistic,healthier sense of your own
worth.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
So putting pen to paper?
How does that actually work?
What's the mechanism thatstarts to chip away at feeling
like an imposter, especiallyusing a structured journal?

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Good question.
One key way, drawing from oursources, is challenging negative
thoughts directly.
You write down the imposterthought I only got that client
because I was lucky.
Then, right below it, youactively write down evidence
against it.
Okay, but I spent 10 hoursresearching their needs.
My proposal addressed all theirpoints.
They praised my specificinsights in the meeting.

(04:18):
You counter the feeling withfacts.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Ah, like building a case for yourself.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Pretty much.
Another big benefit is patternrecognition, when you
consistently journal about whenthese feelings pop up, what
triggers them, how intense theyare, how you react.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
You start seeing the connections.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
You do you notice?
Oh, it always gets worse beforea big presentation or when I
get critical feedback, even ifit's constructive, my first
thought is I'm incompetent.
Recognizing those patterns isthe first step to changing the
response.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
That visibility must be powerful.
And the third thing youmentioned was celebrating
successes, which sounds easy,but maybe isn't when you feel
like a fraud.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
It's crucial because the imposter tendency is to
minimize or explain away wins,so journaling provides that
dedicated space to intentionallyrecord them.
Today I successfully debuggedthat tricky code or my team lead
complimented my report.

Speaker 1 (05:10):
Even small things report even small things.

Speaker 2 (05:12):
Especially the small things.
They add up over time.
This practice helps shift yourfocus from constant
self-criticism to actuallyacknowledging your capabilities
and seeing your growth.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
And this is where having a good journal, like a
list Allian, really helps.
Yeah those features aren't justcosmetic.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Not at all.
There are functional tools forthis process.
Think about the numbered pages.
That creates a chronology, ahistory.
When doubt hits hard, you canliterally flip back through
pages 10, 25, 50 and seeconcrete examples of past
successes, past challengesovercome.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
It makes the evidence undeniable in a way.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
Exactly and the table of contents.
You can use that to trackspecific projects or maybe
periods where you feltparticularly strong imposter
feelings and see how younavigated them.
What you wrote then it aidsreflection.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
I like that and the quality?
Does that matter?

Speaker 2 (06:01):
I think it does.
Actually Using something thatfeels good the smooth paper, the
nice cover, it makes the act ofjournaling feel less like a
chore and more like a well, adeliberate act of self-care.
It elevates the practice.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
And the back pocket.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
Oh yeah, that's brilliant.
For this you can tuck in actualphysical evidence a printout of
positive feedback, a notesomeone wrote you, maybe little
affirmation cards tangible proofagainst the inner critic.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
It's like building your own evidence locker against
the imposter voice.
I actually have a friend, mark,a software engineer.
Yeah, super talented guy, okay,but after every single
successful project, he'd beconvinced, absolutely convinced.
The next one would be thedisaster that exposed him.
He'd obsess over one tiny bug,ignoring weeks of brilliant work

(06:47):
.

Speaker 2 (06:48):
Classic imposter pattern.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Totally so.
He started using a listalianjournal.
One of the first things he did,very simply, was list three
things he accomplished each day.
Just three.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
Even if they felt small.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
Yeah, especially them .
At first he said it felt kindof forced, unnatural, but as he
filled those numbered pages pageafter page, just seeing the
volume of his contributions, itstarted to shift something.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
The sheer accumulation of evidence.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Exactly, and he used the table of contents to track
reflections on specific codingchallenges or projects.
He could go back and see OK, Ifelt like a fraud then too, but
look what I actually did.
And he kept printouts ofpositive client comments in that
back pocket Little anchors.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
That's a fantastic example of how that consistent
documentation, especially beingable to easily revisit it,
really reframes things.

Speaker 1 (07:39):
It makes past success feel less like a fluke and more
like a pattern.
Yeah, it takes it from fuzzymemory to a concrete fact you
can point to.
Okay, so Mark's story shows itin action.
What specific techniques do oursources recommend for people
listening who want to try this?

Speaker 2 (07:51):
Right, Actionable stuff.
We touched on one Dailyreflection on achievements.
End of the day, write downthree things, big or small.
That you accomplished Doesn'thave to be earth shattering.
Acknowledge them, just get themdown.
Another key one is activelywriting counter arguments to
negative thoughts.
Catch that you're not qualifiedthought and deliberately list
reasons why you are.
Skills, experience, pastsuccesses.

Speaker 1 (08:12):
Be your own defense attorney.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
In a way.
Yes, guided prompts are alsosuper helpful.
Instead of just staring at ablank page, use questions like
what skills did I use well today?
Or what was a challenge Ihandled effectively.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
That gives you a starting point.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
It directs the reflection productively.
Then there's tracking triggersand responses noticing when the
feelings hit and how you reactemotionally.
Again, identifying patterns tomanage them better.

Speaker 1 (08:40):
And breaking down big goals.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yes, that's huge.
If a big task feelsoverwhelming and triggers
inadequacy, break it down inyour journal into the smallest
possible steps.
Then just focus on the nextstep and note when you complete
it.
It creates a sense ofaccomplishment and control which
directly fights that feeling ofbeing overwhelmed and
fraudulent.
I remember a family memberstarting a big new leadership

(09:03):
role, huge wave of I can't dothis, just massive self-doubt.
But they used their journal tobreak down the role's demands,
specific skills needed,knowledge gaps.
Then they logged their progress, learning each bit.

Speaker 1 (09:15):
Like a roadmap Exactly.

Speaker 2 (09:18):
Each entry on a numbered page was like a
milestone past.
It didn't erase the doubtovernight, but it built this
visual record of competence thatslowly chipped away at the I'm
not qualified feeling.

Speaker 1 (09:30):
That makes so much sense Turning this huge, scary
thing into manageable pieces youcan track and this isn't just
based on anecdotes like Mark oryour family member right,
there's actual researchsupporting journaling's benefits
.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
Oh, absolutely that's important.
There's a solid body ofscientific work looking at
expressive writing andjournaling.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
What does it show?

Speaker 2 (09:50):
Consistently, studies link it to lower stress and
anxiety.
Getting those swirling negativethoughts out of your head and
onto paper is genuinelytherapeutic for many people.

Speaker 1 (09:59):
It externalizes them.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
Precisely.
It also beasts self-awareness.
Recognizing your thoughtpatterns, including the
self-doubting ones, is the firststep toward developing coping
strategies.
You can't change what you don'tsee.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay, lower stress, better awareness, what else?

Speaker 2 (10:14):
Research also suggests links to increased job
satisfaction and confidence.
Over time, as you use thejournal to track growth and
successes, your perception ofyour own competence can actually
improve.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
You start believing the evidence you're collecting.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
You do.
And finally, it aids emotionalregulation.
It's a healthy outlet, a way toprocess stressful events or
difficult feelingsconstructively, instead of
letting them fester or, you know, lead to unhealthy coping
mechanisms.

Speaker 1 (10:42):
And all of those benefits less stress, more
awareness, more confidence,better emotional handling.
They all directly combat thecore issues of imposter syndrome
, don't they?

Speaker 2 (10:52):
They really do.
They target the anxiety, thenegative thought loops, the
difficulty, internalizingsuccess.
It all ties together.

Speaker 1 (11:00):
So wrapping this up, it sounds like tackling imposter
syndrome isn't like flipping aswitch, it's more of a journey.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
Definitely a journey.
It's about ongoingself-awareness, learning
self-acceptance, accepting thatyou don't have to be perfect,
and actively, intentionallybuilding confidence.

Speaker 1 (11:14):
Which involves recognizing what you actually
achieve, pushing back againstthose negative voices.

Speaker 2 (11:19):
And setting realistic expectations, understanding
that everyone makes mistakes.
Everyone feels unsure sometimes.
That's part of being human, notproof of being a fraud.

Speaker 1 (11:29):
And using a tool like a Listallion journal, with its
structure and quality, can makethat journey feel more
manageable, more intentional.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
I really think so.
It turns the abstract idea ofreflect more into a concrete
practice.
The numbered pages, the TOC,the pocket.
They facilitate the specifictechniques we've talked about.
It makes journaling apotentially more rewarding and
ultimately effective habit forbuilding that resilience.

Speaker 1 (11:56):
O'.
It's an investment in yourselfreally.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
Danielle Pletka it absolutely is, and the core
message here for anyonelistening who feels this way is
crucial you are not a fraud.
Say it again, you are not afraud.
You have capabilities, you havetalents, you have worth.
Just consider, really thinkabout how deliberately
reflecting on your experiencesthe good, the bad, the
challenging could start to shiftyour own perspective.
It can foster a much strongerand, frankly, more accurate

(12:19):
sense of self-belief.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
Well said.
Okay, here's a final thoughtfor you, the listener, to chew
on.
Think about one time recently,just one instance, where you
dismissed something you did wellas just luck.
What concrete piece of evidence, what specific action or skill
you employed could you havewritten down in a journal right
then to counter that feeling?