Why Imposter Syndrome Can Actually Be a Good Sign

**Arthur C. Brooks** (0:00)
In my work, I specialize in strivers, really hardworking people, ambitious people. What all strivers I've ever met have in common is that the higher they climb and the more success that they have, the more insecure they feel in their own success because they're not quite sure that they've earned it or deserve it. That's called imposter syndrome, of course.
It's completely natural. It only really doesn't happen to one group that I found, the people who really are imposters. Dark triads in business or in personal life are people who are above average in three characteristics. Narcissism, it's all about me.
Machiavellianism, I'm willing to do what it takes, including hurting you to get my way. And psychopathy, to be psychopathic, which is to say, I'm going to hurt you and feel no remorse. You might think that that's super rare. It's not. One in 14 people in the population is above average on those three characteristics. Here's the truth. If you're doing really well in your career and you're being rewarded for it, and you're a good, normal, healthy person, you're going to sort of wonder, is this earned? What you're doing here as a healthy person is that you know what you're good at, you know what you're not good at. Well, guess what the world sees? What you're good at. That's why you're getting ahead. What do they not see? The things that only you see, which is what you're trying to get better at. So what do you do if you have imposter syndrome? The answer is to understand it, keep up to date with it, and keep trying to get better at the things that you're not good at yet. This is an opportunity. It's for growth, for becoming the person that you truly want to be.