The Early Signs of Imposter Syndrome: How to Spot It Before It Stops You
- Diane@CourageOverComfortCoaching
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Imposter syndrome doesn’t arrive dramatically. It creeps in quietly.
It disguises itself as high standards, responsibility, or humility — especially for senior leaders and women in fast-paced, high-visibility roles. And unless you recognise the early signs, it can take root before you even realise what’s happening.
The good news? Once you can spot it, you can stop it.
This guide breaks down the most common early indicators — based directly on what thousands of people currently search for every month — and offers practical steps you can take today to regain your confidence and authority.
Early Signs of Imposter Syndrome
1. You Downplay Your Achievements (Even When You Know You Worked Hard)
If someone praises your work and your instinctive response is:
“It was nothing.”
“Anyone could have done it.”
“I just got lucky.”
…you’re seeing one of the strongest early signs of imposter syndrome.
Try this instead:
Pause and replace minimising language with neutral statements: “Thank you, I appreciate that. I worked hard on it.”
It feels strange at first — but it’s a cornerstone of rebuilding confidence.
2. You Set Unrealistic Standards and Feel Anxious if You Don’t Hit Them
Imposter syndrome often shows up as perfectionism disguised as professionalism. Your internal bar keeps rising — and so does the pressure.
Early clues include:
rewriting work excessively
fearing small mistakes
delaying tasks until “you’re ready”
needing everything to be flawless
This creates a loop of stress, avoidance, and overworking.
Try this instead:
Ask yourself: “What would ‘good enough’ look like here?” Then deliver that — not the 200% version.
3. You Feel Like You’re One Mistake Away from Being “Found Out”
A persistent, low-level fear of being exposed as “not really capable” is one of the most common early symptoms.
Leaders experiencing this often describe feeling:
tense
on alert
hyper-vigilant
unable to relax into their role
This is usually not about competence. It’s about identity — and your brain struggling to reconcile your achievements with your self-image.
Try this instead:
Collect real evidence: feedback, outcomes, results. Facts weaken fear.
4. You Attribute Success to External Factors (But Blame Yourself for Failures)
If your mind defaults to:
success = luck, timing, other people
failure = entirely your fault
…this imbalance is a classic early sign.
Try this instead:
Document your contributions for every success. This rewires the internal narrative from “I got lucky” to “I did that.”
5. You Hide Your Strengths to Avoid Judgement or Criticism
This often shows up subtly:
holding back ideas
shrinking in meetings
only speaking when certain you’re “right”
avoiding leadership visibility
This is less about capability and more about fear of negative evaluation — a core driver of imposter syndrome.
Try this instead:
Start small: contribute one idea or question per meeting. Visibility grows confidence.
6. You Overprepare Because You Don’t Believe You’re Enough
Preparation is healthy. Over-preparation is the mask imposter syndrome wears.
If you regularly:
re-read emails
double-check work repeatedly
rehearse conversations excessively
spend hours preparing for something minor
…it’s an early warning sign.
Try this instead:
Set a time limit for preparation and stick to it. Trust grows with practice.
What to Do Next: A Clear Path Forward
Spotting the early signs is powerful — but managing them requires consistent, structured support.
The three most effective next steps (based on coaching outcomes with senior leaders) are:
Start a guided daily confidence practice
Your structured solution: The 21-Day Imposter Syndrome Challenge
This is specifically designed to break the thought patterns that keep imposter syndrome alive.
Get support in a safe, high-trust space
For deeper mindset shifts, skill development and strategy:
If you're a senior leader and want personalised support:
Sometimes the fastest confidence shift comes from a single targeted conversation.
Key Takeaways
Imposter syndrome is not a sign of inadequacy — it’s a sign you’re stretching, growing, and operating in spaces that matter.
If you can recognise the early signals, you can stop the spiral before it takes hold. And when you learn to lead with confidence, you unlock opportunities that used to feel out of reach.
You’re capable of so much more than you think. Let’s make sure nothing — especially imposter syndrome — gets in the way.
