Dr. Judith Beck on Impostor Syndrome in the Workplace

When we make mistakes at work, it can lead to a cycle of negative thinking. The damaging thoughts swirl: “I’m an impostor.” “I’m not smart enough.” “I’m failing at my job.” Feeling like an impostor — doubting one’s own abilities despite a track record of success — is common, especially among women and members of marginalized groups. Even on days when everything’s going right, it can be hard to shift out of a cycle of self-doubt.

Cathy Bussewitz at The Associated Press recently sat down with Dr. Judith Beck, president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy just across the river in Philadelphia, to discuss this phenomenon and what we can do about it. The full article, It can be hard to shift out of negative thoughts, but there are ways to stop spiraling, can be read at apnews.com. Below is a summary.

Main Points

  • Mistakes at work often trigger a cycle of negative thinking: “I’m an impostor,” “I’m not smart enough,” “I’m failing at my job.”
  • Impostor syndrome—feeling unqualified despite evidence of competence—is common, especially among women and marginalized groups.
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is useful for interrupting negative self-talk by helping people:
    1. Identify recurring unhelpful thoughts
    2. Evaluate whether those thoughts are accurate
    3. Reframe them into more realistic or constructive narratives

Psychological & Evolutionary Insights

  • Our brains are wired to notice threats and negatives—survival mechanisms still influence us today. This bias makes us more likely to dwell on problems than successes.
  • We also tend to filter out positive feedback and magnify mistakes.
  • To counter this, repeatedly practicing positive self-beliefs can help build a “healthier thinking muscle.”

Strategies & Techniques

  • Question your thought’s validity
    Ask: “What evidence supports this?” “What contradicts it?” “What does ‘good enough’ really mean?”
  • “Microscope” technique
    Write down negative statements (e.g. “They don’t value my work”) and then do exercises like reading backwards, counting words, or visualizing them on a cloud to reduce their emotional impact.
  • Replace with healthier thoughts
    For example:
    • “I’ve made good choices today.”
    • “Some things went well; tomorrow I’ll try again.”
    • Use scripts or mantras to respond when old negative thoughts resurface.