What Imposter Syndrome Actually Is

Imposter syndrome describes persistent self-doubt in high-achieving people who struggle to internalize their own success, often attributing it to luck or timing instead of ability. A systematic review of the research found prevalence estimates ranging from 9 to 82 percent depending on the population studied, and found the condition is often comorbid with depression and anxiety, particularly among ethnic minority groups (PMC, National Library of Medicine). It’s not a formal clinical diagnosis, but its psychological toll is very real.

Why It Hits Differently for South Asian Professionals

A 2026 qualitative study of South Asian employees found that imposter feelings were shaped heavily by internalized socio-cultural beliefs, not just workplace dynamics, meaning the doubt often started long before anyone ever sat in a boardroom (Diversity & Inclusion Research, Wiley Online Library). Growing up with constant comparison to other high-achieving kids, and family success framed as a shared responsibility rather than an individual one, tends to raise the bar for what “actually earning it” even means. That pressure connects directly to the anxiety that often hides behind ambition, where the achievement itself never quite settles the doubt underneath it.

Why Lilly Singh’s Story Sounds Familiar

Lilly Singh, born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, has been publicly open about this exact tension for years. She’s spoken about discovering YouTube as a teenager while dealing with depression, eventually building “IISuperwomanII” into one of the platform’s biggest channels and becoming one of Forbes’ highest-paid YouTube stars. In 2018, at the height of that visible success, she posted a video announcing a break from the platform, describing herself as “mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.” More recently, in an Associated Press interview about her animated series for kids, she spoke directly about imposter syndrome alongside gender equity and South Asian representation, the exact combination that makes her experience resonate so specifically with this community.

What makes her story useful isn’t that she’s a celebrity. It’s that even at a level of success most people would call undeniable proof of talent, the internal doubt didn’t just disappear. That’s the core mechanism of imposter syndrome: external validation rarely resolves an internal belief that was never really about the achievements to begin with. Seeing someone who looks like you succeed publicly and still name that doubt out loud matters too, which is part of why representation from leaders and public figures carries weight beyond just visibility.

Signs You Might Be Dealing With It

• Attributing your success to luck, timing, or other people, rarely to your own ability.
• Feeling like each new achievement raises the bar instead of settling the doubt.
• Overworking to “prove” you deserve a role you’ve already earned.
• Struggling to accept compliments or recognition without deflecting.
• Fear that visibility or success will eventually expose you as “not enough.”

Moving Past It

Imposter syndrome tends to loosen its grip through naming it clearly, separating your worth from your output, and working with someone who understands both the psychology of it and the cultural expectations feeding it. That combination matters more than generic confidence advice ever will.

It also helps to notice the specific voice doing the doubting. For a lot of South Asian professionals, that voice isn’t really their own, it’s an accumulation of every comparison, every “so-and-so’s kid” reference, and every unspoken expectation absorbed long before the career even started. Recognizing that the doubt has a source, rather than treating it as objective truth about your ability, is often the first real crack in it.

Recognize yourself in this? Book a consultation and start separating your achievements from your anxiety.