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5 Sneaky Confidence Killers You’re Totally Doing—and No, It’s Not What You Think (But It’s Hilariously Spot-On)

Added on December 4, 2025 inASTROLOGY CARDS

Ever get that nagging feeling you’re just pretending, like you’re the star of a cosmic prank where everyone’s in on the joke except you? Well, welcome to the wild world of imposter syndrome—a sneaky little beast that makes you doubt your own sparkle and messes with your mojo at work. It’s kind of like Mercury in retrograde but for your self-esteem: a swirl of second-guessing, wondering if your talents are really yours or just an elaborate hallucination. Whether you’re clutching the reins too tight, burning the midnight oil, or even slacking off to dodge the spotlight, this fear of being “found out” can twist your confidence into a pretzel. But here’s the kicker—knowing these five quirky ways people overcompensate can help you break free from that impostor dance and finally own your brilliance. Ready to stop faking it till you make it and start really making it? LEARN MORE.

Imposter syndrome is essentially a fear of being exposed as a fraud, and it can cause significant problems with your work performance and lower your confidence. If you cannot identify your skills, talents, and good characteristics, then you may not be able to improve them or stand up for yourself when your abilities are called into question.

It’s this constant feeling that you might be exposed as a fake, you might finally be confronted and told to quit your job or your position of power. Whether you hold yourself to a higher standard than everyone else (i.e., your colleagues and friends) or expect yourself to succeed despite putting in little effort, you can overcompensate in numerous ways.

People who have low confidence often don’t realize they do these 5 things to overcompensate:

1. Being controlling

If you have trouble relinquishing control to others and feel disappointed regardless of your ability to control a situation, then you probably have imposter syndrome. You might overthink the situation and wonder what you could have done to prevent an error. You might even feel like a failure for letting someone else lead a work assignment with the confidence you lack. However, being a leader first requires you to believe in yourself and then to believe in your team; you don’t always have to be in charge to guarantee you will finish your work.

Research showed the biological and evolutionary underpinnings of imposter syndrome, so learning to embrace your mistakes and contribute to group projects without controlling them can help you feel better about your work performance. You also need to relish in your successes, even though you might think you could’ve done better. It’s unhealthy to blame yourself for only your failures.

2. Overworking yourself

Person drinks too much coffee while overworking SrideeStudio via Shutterstock

These people feel like they need to sacrifice everything in their lives to perform at 100% all of the time. They don’t appreciate when their skills have been recognized by awards, degrees, or certificates, and constantly overwork themselves in an attempt to prove to others that they belong. You might have this type of imposter syndrome if you can never justify taking a break, are told that you’re an overachiever, and thrive on validation for your hard work.

A study on confronting imposter syndrome explored how feeling like an imposter is “accompanied by burnout, self-doubt, and beliefs of decreased success.” But if you want to make imposter syndrome take up less of your time, try accepting criticism as helpful, not personal. Use it as a means to improve, not a reason to berate yourself. Schedule breaks often to avoid burnout and increase your focus, and remember that life needs balance.

3. Putting in too little effort

This may seem counterintuitive for someone with imposter syndrome, but it actually makes a lot of sense. If you are used to succeeding with little effort throughout school and have grown up being told that you are “the smart one,” then you are less likely to take risks and challenge yourself mentally. You may be afraid that you’ll bring shame to yourself or your family, so you retreat instead of working harder. Because you’ve never been exposed to challenges or forced to face setbacks in life, you don’t have the best work ethic.

However, this type of imposter syndrome has a simple solution. All you need to do is seek out challenges on a regular basis. Encourage yourself to keep trying, despite your fear of failure. It’s possible for you to achieve even more than you have, especially if you accept help from others.

4. Ignoring your needs

Person doesn't realize they ignore their own needs yourphotopie via Shutterstock

Imposter syndrome can make you feel like the world is on your shoulders — that your needs come second to the needs of your work. Refusing to ask for help can be detrimental to your mental and physical health, so you need to understand the difference between independence and stubbornness. Being independent is good, but it can lead you to think that you don’t need anyone in your life to help improve your abilities, encourage you, or lend a helping hand.

Don’t let imposter syndrome take away your support system. The best way to fight the syndrome if it affects you in this manner is to communicate with your loved ones. Tell them about your struggles with accepting help, and let them know that it’s OK for them to intervene when you reach your breaking point (and beforehand). However, you need to be responsive to their help and try your very best not to dismiss it.

5. Never being satisfied with yourself

While it’s normal to want to continue your education and keep learning, it’s not so normal to feel inadequate because of your limited experiences and skills. No one is perfect, so no one can know everything about a subject. Not even you.

The fear of being inexperienced is common for people who struggle with imposter syndrome because they don’t believe they are skilled enough to meet different work requirements. They might “treat evidence in ways that maintain their false beliefs and debilitating fears,” explained a study of imposter syndrome and self-deception. “They ignore and misattribute evidence of their own abilities, while readily accepting evidence in favor of their inadequacy.”

More for You:

If you want to overcome imposter syndrome, start limiting yourself to only learning new skills that you need to complete your responsibilities. Gaining skills just for the sake of having them can be exhausting and leave you feeling even more inadequate. If you develop the skills you already have and focus on the skills that you can and need to improve, then you will be better equipped for your job and exude confidence in the process.

Meaghan Summers is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics.