Do you have imposter syndrome?

Do you sometimes think your English is worse than everyone else’s?

Do you avoid speaking up and keep your thoughts to yourself? Do you worry about making a mistake when you speak because then people will discover your English isn’t as good as they thought it was?

When somebody tells you that your English is good, do you believe them? Or do you think that they’re just being polite or trying to make you feel better?

Do you worry that your accent will make you sound less intelligent or less professional?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might have impostor syndrome.

What’s that? Keep reading and I’ll explain.

There are a few difficult words today so here’s some vocabulary to help you:

impostor = somebody who pretends to be somebody else
syndrome = a medical or psychological condition
psychological = related to how the mind works
impostor syndrome = feeling like you’re not as good at something as people think you are and that other people will discover that you’re not good enough 
a fake/fraud = a person who isn’t who they say they are or doesn’t have the skills they say they have
anxiety = the condition of feeling very worried
depression = the condition of feeling unhappy or without hope

What’s impostor syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is when you doubt yourself and your abilities, even though there’s evidence you are succeeding. For example, when somebody praises or compliments you, you don’t believe them and you feel like they’re just saying it to be polite.

You worry that other people will discover that you’re not good at your job or that you’re a fake or a fraud. Or you feel that you don’t deserve your success.

Impostor syndrome is a combination of a lack of confidence and a fear that other people are going to find out that you’re not good enough.

Anyone can experience this feeling of impostor syndrome but it happens more often to minority groups.

This means women experience it more often than men. And non-native speakers of English are likely to experience it if they work in an English-speaking environment.

Impostor syndrome is a problem. Your anxiety about your English may stop you from speaking up at work, or it may stop you from applying for a job you’d be good at.

Or it might stop you from doing other things you want to do, like joining an international community or travelling.

It can even lead to mental health problems like stress, anxiety and depression.

What’s the solution?
If you have feelings of impostor syndrome when you think about your English, here are some things you can try:

1. The first step is to recognise it. If you always feel that other people are better than you are, that you don’t deserve to be where you are, that your successes are just good luck and nothing to do with your hard work or talents, then you may well have impostor syndrome.

2. Ask yourself whether the things your inner voice is saying are really true. Will people really judge you when you make a grammar mistake? Is your English really worse than everyone else’s? I’m sure you’ll discover that a lot of these inner thoughts are false.

3. Think positive thoughts! Instead of thinking “I can’t do this,” tell yourself “I can learn/improve this.” It’s OK to want to keep improving. It’s not OK to say that your English will never be good enough.

4. Don’t compare yourself to other people. You only see what’s on the outside. Just because they seem confident on the outside, this doesn't mean they aren’t feeling just as nervous about speaking English as you are.  

5. Don’t put pressure on yourself to speak like a native. You don’t need to speak like a native and you don’t need to be perfect. Instead, focus on simple and clear communication, and connecting with other people.

6. Share your experiences and feelings with a friend. Firstly, you will feel better if you talk about it. Secondly, you’ll probably realise that other people have the same thoughts and feelings, that it’s normal and you’re not alone.

7. Celebrate when things go well, even little things, like managing a conversation in English on the phone or understanding a joke in English. You can even write them down so you have something to remind yourself when you’re feeling down.

8. Find a safe place to practise your English and build your confidence. This could be with a friend, with a teacher or in a class. Get confident in that situation and it will help you feel more confident outside your safe place too.


A lot of what I do when I teach English is to help my learners with their confidence. Speaking better English is not just about grammar and vocabulary, but it's also about overcoming negative thoughts and getting more confident too.

If that’s something you know you need help with, please use the contact page to get in touch with me.