Quiz: What Kind of Imposter Syndrome Do You Have?

Perfectionists are the most common personality type to experience imposter syndrome, and it makes sense—perfectionists set unrealistic expectations for performance, and when those expectations aren't met, they question their self-worth. As a perfectionist, you likely have trouble recognizing your achievements and feeling proud of yourself since everything could be done better.

To beat imposter syndrome, you should focus on learning to celebrate your successes and truly appreciate how much you accomplish. Likewise, when you make a mistake, remember that mistakes are natural. Accepting that your work will never be truly perfect will free you to start your projects and try new things.

The Superhero imposter is one who feels like a less legitimate professional than their colleagues and takes on more and more and pushes hard to seem like the real deal.

In fact, Superhero imposters are workaholics, hooked on the validation they get from work rather than the actual work. Fixing this kind of imposter syndrome should be focused on training yourself to find internal validation rather than external validation. By shifting your focus, you'll learn how to incorporate more balance into your workload.

For the Natural Genius, success is all about the results and has little to do with effort. Like perfectionists, Natural Geniuses sets high expectations for themselves. Unlike perfectionists, the Natural Genius has a need to do things correctly the first go 'round and panics if a task cannot be completed quickly, easily, and well.

To overcome imposter syndrome, it's important to accept yourself as a continuous project. Even for the most brilliant minds, remarkable achievement literally takes years of learning and experience. To this end, set your sights on small, constructive changes that you can strive toward over time. Remember as well that skills are learned and take practice.

For the Rugged Individualist, imposter syndrome is characterized by a fear of revealing weakness or inexperience when asking for help. Instead, they dig in their heels and cling to their independence—even in the face of disaster.

To beat this kind of imposter syndrome, it's critical to realize that everyone needs help from time to time and that for many people, it's a sign of maturity and well-roundedness. Furthermore, rejecting help isolates you from your colleagues. Reaching out strengthens your team and interpersonal relationships.