Books·
The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women
The voice telling you you're a fraud is usually less accurate than the evidence you've already earned.
Metadata
| Author | Valerie Young |
| Year | 2011 |
The Book in 3 Sentences
- Impostor syndrome isn't a sign that you're unqualified—it's often a sign that you're holding yourself to impossible standards. So many accomplished people still feel like they don't deserve their success—which was in some ways comforting to hear?
- I really liked how she breaks impostor syndrome into different patterns. Whether you're a perfectionist, a "natural genius," an expert, a soloist, or someone who feels like they have to do it all, the book helped me see that these feelings often come from unrealistic definitions of what competence is supposed to look like.
- Confidence doesn't have to come first. Instead of waiting to feel like I belong, the book encourages recognizing those impostor thoughts, giving myself credit for my achievements, and acting anyway—even if the self-doubt hasn't completely gone away.