Impostor syndrome is more common than we think— especially in creative and fast-paced careers like product design, or really just about any field. At some point, most of us have felt this overwhelming wave of self-doubt. This feeling comes and goes, sometimes you’re riding high, full of confidence, while others you feel like the no-talent police might catch you at any moment.
What’s interesting is that many people who experience impostor syndrome are actually incredibly talented and capable. Yet, they often feel undeserving of their success, attributing achievements to luck, mistakes, connections or circumstances rather than their own abilities.
If this sounds a bit too familiar, let’s dive into where these feelings come from. I'll share some practical strategies that have helped me overcome impostor syndrome—and I believe they'll help you too. Remember, you're not alone in this journey, and together we can find our way through.
Why do we feel like this?
There’s no single cause of impostor syndrome. Based on what Dr. Valerie Young teaches us in her book The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, along with my own reflections and self-learning, it can be triggered by a combination of factors, such as:
- Childhood expectations: growing up with high standards or certain roles placed on you.
- Work or college environment: being surrounded by a culture that feeds self-doubt.
- Pushed out of your comfort zone: new responsibilities, career transitions, or losing a job can all bring it on.
- Representing a social group: being a minority within another dominant culture, or a woman in a male-dominated field, can feel like balancing opposing forces while carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders.
Breaking it down further
To effectively address the root cause, it’s important to distinguish between circumstantial triggers—like the examples above—and those that are deeply personal, rooted in your personality and perceptions of competence, as we’ll explore next.
Going back to Dr. Young’s book, she identifies five “competence types,” which represent mistaken ways of thinking about what it means to be capable:
- The Perfectionist 🤌 Sets impossibly high standards and feels like anything less than flawless is unacceptable. — “I must deliver an unblemished performance 100% of the time.”
- The Natural Genius 🧠 Believes competence is innate and struggles when things don’t come easily. — “If I were truly talented, I wouldn’t have to work this hard.”
- The Expert 🤓 Feels they must know everything before starting a task. — “I need more qualifications before I can put myself out there.”
- The Rugged Individualist 🚶Equates true achievement with doing everything independently. — “If I ask for help, it means I’m not good enough.”
- The Superhero 🦸♀️ Tries to excel in every area of life, not just work. — “If I can’t do it all perfectly, I’m failing.”
I highly recommend reading this book if you want to dive deeper into all the concepts explored here. While the book focuses primarily on research showing that women and minorities experience impostor syndrome more frequently, its insights and strategies can benefit anyone.
Why designers are more prone to Impostor Syndrome
As designers, we face unique challenges that can heighten impostor feelings:
- Constant feedback loops: critiques are essential to design, but they can feel personal and fuel self-doubt if taken the wrong way.
- Collaborative work environments: while teamwork is enriching, it can make it hard to recognise your individual contributions.
- Wide-ranging skill sets: designing for a marketing website differs from a health product or a fitness platform. Each new domain can feel like starting from scratch.
- Rapid industry evolution: new tools, AI trends, and shifting best practices make it easy to feel like you’re falling behind.
- Shifting comfort zones: as Product Designers, we often work across different domains—WebApps, Marketing Sites, or Mobile Apps. Moving into unfamiliar territory can trigger fear of the unknown.
- Social media pressure: comparing yourself to others online can create unnecessary anxiety and pressure to be constantly productive and perfect.
Now let’s talk strategies
At Pixelmatters, we hosted a roundtable discussion among designers to openly share experiences and strategies. Here are some key takeaways and mental shifts you can try:
- Celebrate small wins 🏆 Enjoy the journey, and enjoy it out loud! You can also keep a “win journal” to track your progress. Seeing how far you’ve come can help combat self-doubt. — It’s okay to pause and say, “I did a great job here.” Even the small victories count.
- Reframe feedback ✍️ At Pixelmatters we encourage feedback as a way of improving work, not as a reflection of personal worth. See critiques as compliments to your potential to grow. — After all, if someone didn't believe you were capable, they wouldn't bother offering feedback.
- Stop comparing ⛔ Each of us has a unique journey. Use others for inspiration, but don’t let comparison rob you of confidence. — Focus on your own growth—it matters more than someone else's. Be kinder to yourself.
- Acknowledge your expertise ☝️ You’ve earned your spot—own it. Reflect on challenges you’ve overcome in the past to remind yourself of your resilience. — You don’t need to know all the answers now. Trust that you’ll figure it out, just like you always have.
- Break big tasks into small ones ⛏️ Tackling a huge challenge can feel daunting. Focus on small, manageable steps instead of solving everything at once. — You don’t have to know the entire path—just take the next step.
- Connect with peers 💬 Sharing stories with colleagues can normalize these feelings. During our roundtable, designers opened up about their struggles, which helped us all feel supported. — Vulnerability breeds connection. Speak up—it might help someone else, too.
- Embrace imperfection ❤️🩹 Flaws make us human, and embracing them helps us grow. Putting less pressure on yourself can lead to more creativity and joy. — Progress over perfection—it’s how we learn and evolve.
- Seek mentorship 🧑⚕️ If impostor syndrome becomes overwhelming, talk to someone. Mentors or professionals can offer guidance and tools to manage it. — It’s not weakness to ask for help—it’s strength.
Acknowledge the doubt, own the success
Impostor syndrome might never fully go away, but it doesn’t have to define you. By recognising its presence and taking proactive steps to address it, you can learn to thrive as a Digital Product Designer—or in any other job and field. You don’t need to eliminate those feelings entirely; instead, focus on building the resilience to persevere, learn, and grow despite them.
The next time your inner critic whispers, “You don’t belong here,” remind yourself: you do. Your work matters. You are capable and enough.
