51
Work Answered

Imposter Syndrome is paralyzing me at my new job

Ve***
May 19, 2026 at 04:24 PM 1516 views
I just got promoted, and I am terrified they are going to realize I have no idea what I'm doing. I overprepare for everything and I'm burning out trying to prove I belong here.
#imposter-syndrome #perfectionism #workplace

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Dr*** Therapist Best ·1w ago
Imposter syndrome thrives in secrecy and is often fueled by perfectionism. The cognitive distortion at play is "emotional reasoning" (I feel incompetent, therefore I must be incompetent). To challenge this, objectively audit your evidence. Write down the hard facts of your achievements that led to this promotion. Furthermore, reframe your perspective on learning. Competence is not knowing everything; competence is having the capacity to learn and figure things out. Shift your goal from "proving I know everything" to "demonstrating I can learn anything."