Overthinking About Imposter Syndrome

In 1978, psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes published the first study on imposter syndrome—originally termed “imposter phenomenon”—about high-achieving women feeling like frauds at work… and it struck a major nerve. The study kicked off decades of frenzied discourse, programs, and merch aimed at curing women of this irrational feminine disease. Among the proposed treatments included professional development conferences, self-help books like The Imposter Cure, and power poses. Use of the term imposter syndrome has only increased, but I have questions. Like… why are these conversations so gendered? Does anyone NOT experience imposter syndrome? What if you don’t even feel qualified to have imposter syndrome? Is it really a diagnosable “syndrome” in the first place? And either way, how can we stop feeling this way?? Psychiatrist and author of “Real Self Care” Dr. Pooja Lakshmin (@poojalakshmin) joins host Amanda (@amanda_montell) for this week’s brain-soothing discussion. - Come get tickets to see Amanda on book tour in Chicago and Minneapolis!! amandamontell.com/events  - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. - Sources:  Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review All Imposters Aren't Alike ‘Being delulu,’ or delusional is the new Gen Z trend for hacking career success A Cultural Impostor? Native American Experiences of Impostor Phenomenon in STEM Follow Amanda: @amanda_montell Follow the show: @magicaloverthinkers To watch the podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/MagicalOverthinkersYouTube  Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening, or by using this link: https://bit.ly/MagicalOverthinkers  If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing! You can text, DM, email, or send this link to a friend: https://bit.ly/MagicalOverthinkers  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

Are you an overthinker? Prone to thought spirals? Do you wonder why, despite living in the "Information Age," life only seems to be making less sense? From extreme celebrity worshippers to people with master’s degrees basing their real-life choices on Mercury’s whereabouts, there seems to be a lot of delulu out there these days. More than ever, in fact. Enter: This relatable, thought-provoking podcast for curious overthinkers. Every other week, tune in as host Amanda Montell, author of the New York Times bestselling book The Age of Magical Overthinking and host of the Sounds Like A Cult podcast, interviews a brilliant expert guest about a buzzy, confounding, anxiety-provoking topic. Think: narcissism, nostalgia, polyamory, social media comparison, "millennial cringe." Complete with heart-on-their-sleeve personal stories, thought-provoking conversations, and actionable takeaways for how chronically online listeners can get out of their own heads, this podcast is here to make some sense of the senseless. To help quiet the cacophony in our brains for a while. Or even hear a melody in it. For advertising opportunities please email [email protected]    We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4   Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy