Help with imposter syndrome
Competence does not cure it. That is the tell — the more evidence you accumulate, the more elaborate the explanation for why it does not count.
Why promotion makes it worse
Every step up raises the perceived distance to exposure. So achievement, which should settle the question, instead raises the stakes. Clients often arrive within months of a promotion they worked years to get.
- Attributing success to luck or timing
- Over-preparing far beyond what the task needs
- Avoiding visible or senior-facing work
- Fearing a specific moment of being found out
The overwork tax
Imposter beliefs are usually paid for in hours. The work looks at what the overwork is buying, and what it costs at home, before removing the driver — because removing the driver without a plan can feel like losing your edge.
Common in Derby's professional base
Engineering, rail, healthcare and academic settings all produce it, particularly for people who came in through a non-standard route or were the first in their family into that world.
Common questions
Will I lose my drive if this goes?+
Clients generally report the same output with far less cost. Drive from fear is expensive and unreliable; drive from interest is neither.
Is this a diagnosis?+
No. It is a described pattern, not a clinical diagnosis — but it is very workable.
Is it confidential from my employer?+
Entirely. This is private practice; nothing is shared with anyone without your written consent.
Stop paying the overwork tax
Book a free fifteen-minute call — evenings and Saturdays are available for working clients.