The Hidden Benefits of Impostor Thoughts: What Research Reveals

We anxious achievers don't need to wage war against our workplace impostor thoughts. In multiple studies, MIT Professor Basima Tewfik found that people experiencing impostor thoughts were rated as more “interpersonally effective” by their supervisors and colleagues. Think about it: when we're worried others might be overestimating us, we tend to become more other-oriented. We listen more carefully, make better eye contact, and generally work harder to connect. 

Perhaps most reassuringly, Tewfik's research shows that impostor thoughts don't harm job performance.

Our brain is pretty smart

In one of Tewfik’s studies, doctors who reported more frequent workplace imposter thoughts were rated by patients as more interpersonally skilled. Why? “These doctors with more frequent imposter thoughts seem to be compensating.. like, ‘Maybe I'm not as competent as they think I am. So I'm just going to be really other oriented. I'm going to nod a lot. I'm going to make great eye contact. I'm gonna put my pen down and really listen to [the patient].’ And so they're doing all these things and they're not getting the diagnoses wrong [and] they’re getting rated higher in interpersonal scales. Tewfik found the doctors’ high interpersonal effectiveness was subconscious. “They don't report that they're trying to do something differently than they're not…” 

Tewfik notes the original definition of impostor feelings in the research was "the idea that you think other people think you're smarter than you think you are." I think it’s a very natural human feeling for many of us, especially as we stretch and grow.

As Tewfik explains, "When we experience impostor thoughts... we're really focused on this fact that we're deficient, but maybe it's actually an information asymmetry story.” Others can’t see us sweating! We’re harder on ourselves than other people are! Maybe you keep finding yourself in a position where you’re performing a stretch opportunity or you're performing something new, something that you haven't really felt that you've excelled at in the past. And maybe people expect you to excel. Because you’re an achiever, you may be experiencing emotional turmoil and a sense that you’re not measuring up. In this sense, impostor thoughts help us manage all the confusing and overwhelming feelings we’re having and allow us to channel them into performance. Tewfik says, “We have to give ourselves credit that maybe we as humans have some sort of functional defense mechanisms in place to help us manage strong emotions. Even if we think you’re not doing a good job, especially if you're an overachiever, you're probably actually managing it better than you think.”

“If you look at the research, there tends to be a negative correlation between experiencing this phenomenon and your age. So as you get older, impostor thoughts tend to decrease... and I think part of that is we suddenly get really good at our jobs and maybe we're not jumping up a level. And so we're not having those intrusive thoughts as much as we did before.”

More creative?

In other research (still in progress), Tewfik is finding that comedians induced to have impostor thoughts actually showed more creativity in their work. Why? Because these thoughts seem to trigger more problem-solving and deeper thinking.

“When I came to MIT, I finally got the opportunity to run a sort of dream study: I wanted to see if you induced comedians to have imposter thoughts, how creative would they be? There seems to be this pattern where because you have imposter thoughts, you engage in more problem solving, which leads to more creativity ... When we talk about imposter thoughts, we really talk about it as if it's a trait-- either you're an imposter or you're not. You can actually experience imposter thoughts on some days and not other days.” 

I agree with Tewfik; I often find that people who report high levels of anxiety in the moment also are more creative when they're getting out of a jam, whether they're up against a deadline or whether they're just trying to do their work and they're pushing themselves very hard.

Impostor thoughts aren't inherently bad...

It's our emotional attachment to them that causes suffering. As Tewfik puts it, we need to "down-regulate the negative emotions" while potentially benefiting from the cognitive effects these thoughts bring. Often, impostor thoughts are just old habits or our inner critic popping up uninvited.

If impostor thoughts are too distracting, try the "banana exercise" from ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). When Dr. Russ Harris was a young surgeon experiencing intense impostor thoughts while operating, he learned to replace them with "I'm a banana" instead of "I'm going to mess this up." It sounds ridiculous, but it's genius – it helps you detach from the emotional weight of these thoughts while still allowing you to maintain the beneficial heightened attention they bring.

Think about it: do you really want a surgeon who never questions their abilities? Or would you prefer one who's careful and considerate precisely because they're aware there's always more to learn?

Here's what this means for all of us anxious achievers: maybe we don't need to wage war against our impostor thoughts. Maybe instead of trying to banish them or replace them with forced positive thinking, we can learn to say "I see you, thought, and I'm a banana" – and then get on with our work.

Accept them without attachment (maybe even try the banana exercise!), and remember that these thoughts might actually be helping you be more attentive, more creative, and more connected to others.

Morra

P.S. Next time you're feeling like an impostor, remember: you're a banana.