The Impostor Phenomenon

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick * Named A Best Book of Summer by Entertainment Weekly,New York Post, Buzzfeed, TheSkimm, PopSugar, Bustle, HelloGiggles, Ms. Magazine, Oprah Daily, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Lit Hub * Named A Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by The Millions, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Crimereads A sharp and prescient novel about women in the workplace, the power of Big Tech, and the looming threat of foreign espionage from Kathy Wang, “a skilled satirist of the northern California dream” (Harper’s Bazaar) In 2006 Julia Lerner is living in Moscow, a recent university graduate in computer science, when she’s recruited by Russia’s largest intelligence agency. By 2018 she’s in Silicon Valley as COO of Tangerine, one of America’s most famous technology companies. In between her executive management (make offers to promising startups, crush them and copy their features if they refuse); self promotion (check out her latest op-ed in the WSJ, on Work/Life Balance 2.0); and work in gender equality (transfer the most annoying females from her team), she funnels intelligence back to the motherland. But now Russia's asking for more, and Julia’s getting nervous. Alice Lu is a first generation Chinese American whose parents are delighted she’s working at Tangerine (such a successful company!). Too bad she’s slogging away in the lower echelons, recently dumped, and now sharing her expensive two-bedroom apartment with her cousin Cheri, a perennial “founder’s girlfriend”. One afternoon, while performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity, and now she’s burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerine’s privacy settings aren’t as rigorous as the company claims they are, and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself. The closer Alice gets to Julia, the more Julia questions her own loyalties. Russia may have placed her in the Valley, but she's the one who built her career; isn’t she entitled to protect the lifestyle she’s earned? Part page-turning cat-and-mouse chase, part sharp and hilarious satire, Impostor Syndrome is a shrewdly-observed examination of women in tech, Silicon Valley hubris, and the rarely fulfilled but ever-attractive promise of the American Dream.

Do you feel like you’re faking it? Are you afraid that someone is going to discover you are an impostor, and that you don’t deserve your achievements and successes? You could be suffering from the Impostor Syndrome. This book will explore what the Impostor Syndrome is, why many high-achieving and driven leaders suffer from it, and how, with the right techniques, you can beat the Impostor Syndrome and embrace your success.

Learn to take ownership of your success, overcome self-doubt, and banish the thought patterns that undermine your ability to feel—and act—as bright and capable as others already know you are with this award-winning book by Valerie Young. It’s only because they like me. I was in the right place at the right time. I just work harder than the others. I don’t deserve this. It’s just a matter of time before I am found out. Someone must have made a terrible mistake. If you are a working woman, chances are this inter­nal monologue sounds all too familiar. And you’re not alone. From the high-achieving Ph.D. candidate convinced she’s only been admitted to the program because of a clerical error to the senior executive who worries others will find out she’s in way over her head, a shocking number of accomplished women in all ca­reer paths and at every level feel as though they are faking it—impostors in their own lives and careers. While the impostor syndrome is not unique to women, women are more apt to agonize over tiny mistakes, see even constructive criticism as evi­dence of their shortcomings, and chalk up their accomplishments to luck rather than skill. They often unconsciously overcompensate with crippling perfec­tionism, overpreparation, maintaining a lower pro­file, withholding their talents and opinions, or never finishing important projects. When they do succeed, they think, Phew, I fooled ’em again. An internationally known speaker, Valerie Young has devoted her career to understanding women’s most deeply held beliefs about themselves and their success. In her decades of in-the-trenches research, she has uncovered the often surprising reasons why so many accomplished women experience this crushing self-doubt. In The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, Young gives these women the solution they have been seek­ing. Combining insightful analysis with effective ad­vice and anecdotes, she explains what the impostor syndrome is, why fraud fears are more common in women, and how you can recognize the way it mani­fests in your life.

How to be a better leader, confident in your own abilities. Many people privately fear they are not properly qualified to do the job they have been appointed to - and this fear undermines their capabilities. Learn how to overcome this problem and become a better, stronger leader. Be able to express your fears and recognise your weaknesses, but also be able to harness your strengths and those of your team to the best effect.

Stop letting impostor syndrome hold you back! This guided workbook of interactive exercises and research-backed activities will help you conquer self-doubt, realize your true worth, and enjoy your success. How many times have you thought that everyone is crushing it except you? How often have you looked at one of your accomplishments and attributed it to luck or the help of others? It can be difficult to acknowledge our own successes and skills, and overcome the feeling of being an impostor. But moving past that feeling is crucial to continuing down the path to even greater success and happiness. Own Your Greatness will give you all the tools you need to recognize and overcome the impostor syndrome that is holding you back. Packed full of research- and therapy-backed exercises, prompts, and activities, this interactive workbook will help you: Identify the root causes of your impostor syndrome Recognize your natural skills and strengths Gain the confidence to lead Speak up for yourself Feel comfortable receiving and giving praise With this book, you’ll acknowledge the skills you bring to the table, understand that you truly deserve your success, and take steps to a successful, happy, and fulfilled life.

A newly updated edition for 2024 'You've definitely heard of it, you've almost certainly felt it and it's actively stopping you from being your best self. In a new book on imposter syndrome Dr Jessamy Hibberd provides a definitive guide to understanding and tackling the psychological mind trap.' - The Sunday Times 'Dr Jessamy teaches you the tools to break free from those self-sabotaging thought patterns that are holding you back from your own success.' - Hazel Wallace, The Food Medic 'If you suffer from imposter syndrome, this is definitely a must-read!' - Goodreads reviewer 'I have suffered with imposter syndrome my entire life [...] In the few days I have been reading this book I have done an almost complete 180.' - Goodreads reviewer Imposter syndrome is a phenomenon in which people believe they are not worthy of success. They convince themselves that they have done well due to luck and are terrified their shortcomings will eventually be exposed, making it impossible to enjoy their accomplishments. The Imposter Cure explores the psychological impact of imposter syndrome and exposes the secrets fears and insecurities felt by millions of men and women. Dr Jessamy Hibberd provides sound expert advice to help the reader better understand the problem and overcome it, so they think differently, gain self-belief and learn to see themselves as others do. Filled with case studies to bring the concepts alive and packed with strategies to increase confidence, this book is a must-read for anyone who has struggled with their achievements.

How is it that successful people can often feel like a fraud? Despite clear evidence that youare doing well you still have that nagging feeling that at any moment someone is going to tapyou on the shoulder and say "We need to have a chat. You're out of your depth aren't you. Youshouldn't be here." This book draws on the best research in psychology to explain where thesefeelings come from and how to deal with them.