If you’ve ever felt self-doubt, you’re not alone. But for women, that doubt is often reinforced by a system that questions their competence at every turn.

I attended a Women in Business event a few months ago. I was dismayed when the host asked the panel of women a heavily loaded question. She inquired about how they managed imposter syndrome. The question was triggered by one member of the panel recounting the resistance she faced when trying to get her business off the ground. Immediately, the facilitator said ‘Oh Yes, the old imposter syndrome – we’ve all felt that, especially as women!’ I really don’t think so!

Can we just normalise the doubt that everyone faces when doing something different. Feeling doubt doesn’t automatically mean we think we don’t fit in. Why magnify normal feelings of doubt and fear and pathologise them?

Imposter Syndrome isn’t just an internal voice of insecurity. It’s the result of societal messaging that tells people they don’t quite belong. This happens no matter how qualified they are. It’s the feeling that success is accidental, that you’re one misstep away from being “found out.” But remember: this isn’t a personal failing to fix. Instead of battling so-called Imposter Syndrome, we should challenge the structures that create it. We must recognise that self-doubt, when reframed, can be a sign of growth. It is not a reason to shrink back.

Go in Strong – Why Action Trumps Overthinking Every Time

When you’re caught up in self-doubt, it’s easy to overthink every move you make. For women, this is often compounded by a world that scrutinises their competence more harshly. That’s just life. Getting wound up about it won’t change anything. All you can control is how you react to situations. You can manage what is within your gift to action. Every now and then, it is normal to find yourself second-guessing decisions. You might replay conversations or hesitate before speaking up. This is not because you’re unqualified. It’s because you’ve been conditioned to prove yourself in ways others haven’t.

But here’s the real issue: this constant self-surveillance isn’t a personal failing, it’s a distraction deliberately imposed by bias. You spend more time questioning yourself. Therefore, you have less time to do the work that actually proves your value. And ironically, that hesitation can reinforce the very doubts that held you back in the first place.

The way forward isn’t just about “doing more”—it’s about recognising this pattern for what it is. Instead of battling self-doubt alone, name it, challenge it, and refuse to let it dictate your decisions. Ask yourself if an internal voice is telling you that you don’t belong. Would I doubt this if I were a man? What would the most confident and capable person I know do in this situation? Then act accordingly. Think of the person you admire the most for their bravery and strength and channel them! Prioritise your tasks. Make decisions with confidence. Move forward not to “fix” yourself, but to reclaim your time and energy. You deserve to take back what the system wrongly claimed.

Embrace the Messiness of Growth

One of the biggest traps of imposter syndrome, doubt, or fear (however you choose to name it) is the belief that you need to be perfect. It convinces you of the need for perfection. And for women, this pressure is even stronger. From an early age, society conditions girls to be “good.” Girls learn to be competent but not too assertive. They are encouraged to be ambitious but not too aggressive. Success is valued only in ways that don’t make others uncomfortable. No wonder so many women internalise the idea that they must have everything figured out before they even begin.

But here’s the truth: no one has it all together. Progress is messy, uneven, and full of setbacks—that’s not a sign of failure, it’s how growth works. The sooner we reject the myth of perfection, the easier it becomes to move forward without fear.

When you shift your mindset from proving yourself to learning and evolving, you take back power. The system was never designed to accommodate women’s success. Mistakes aren’t evidence of incompetence; they’re proof that you’re stretching yourself. Ask yourself this when self-doubt creeps in: Am I expecting perfection from myself? Would I expect such perfection from others? Then, keep going. The goal isn’t to be flawless—it’s to keep showing up, learning, and taking up space.

Own Your Wins, No Matter How Small

Women are often taught to downplay their achievements. You might hit a major milestone and immediately credit luck, teamwork, or circumstance—anything but your own talent and hard work. This isn’t humility; it’s conditioning. And it’s exactly what fuels the nonsense of Imposter Syndrome and keeps it alive.

Instead of brushing off success, practice owning it. Every accomplishment—big or small—is a reflection of your skills, effort, and resilience. Acknowledge it. Say it out loud. Write it down. If society won’t readily give women credit, the least we can do is give it to ourselves. Importantly, recognise other women’s’ efforts too – give your colleagues and friends a boost.

Taking time to recognise your progress isn’t self-indulgent; it’s an act of resistance. Did you navigate a difficult conversation? Land a new opportunity? Speak up in a meeting where you’d normally stay quiet? Celebrate that. The more you actively acknowledge your achievements, the less power self-doubt holds. And the more you reinforce a truth that should never have been in question: You belong here.

Take Action, Challenge the Narrative, and Move Forward

The narrative about Imposter Syndrome thrives when we accept the idea that self-doubt is a personal failing. We should see it instead as a symptom of systemic bias. The more time women spend questioning their worth, the less time they have to actually lead, create, and succeed. That’s not a coincidence—it’s a consequence of a culture that benefits from keeping women unsure of themselves.

So let’s stop playing along. The antidote to Imposter Syndrome isn’t just action. It’s challenging the very idea that we need to prove ourselves more than anyone else. Keep showing up. Keep taking up space. Keep moving forward. Do this not to silence your doubts, but to make it clear that they were never yours to carry in the first place.

Next time you feel that familiar voice creeping in, don’t waste energy debating whether you deserve to be here. Assume you do—and act accordingly. Because guess what? You absolutely belong. And you don’t need anyone’s permission to own it.