The Impostor Cycle: From Anxiety to Temporary Relief

The trigger and the initial anxious response

The imposter cycle is a repetitive pattern that always begins with a specific trigger: the assignment of a new task, project, or responsibility.

Instead of responding with an objective assessment of capabilities to perform that task, the person experiences an immediate response of anxiety and doubt.

This anxiety stems not from the task itself, but from underlying low self-esteem and the fear that this assignment will be the definitive moment when his or her supposed incompetence is revealed.

The person feels that everyone is watching them, expecting them to fail, which adds a layer of social anxiety and pressure to maintain a facade of perfection.

Coping Mechanisms: Overexertion or Procrastination

Faced with this paralyzing fear, the individual usually opts for one of two extreme behavioral paths to manage anxiety.

The first is over-preparation or "workaholism": the person works far beyond what is necessary, obsessively checking every detail to avoid any possible criticism, driven by the need to be "superhuman."

The second path is procrastination: paralyzed by the fear of not being perfect, the person postpones work until the last minute, only to get it done in a frenzy of anguish.

In both cases, the work is done not out of passion or genuine interest, but as a defense mechanism to avoid judgment and hide the supposed lack of talent.

Momentary relief and the impossibility of internalizing success.

Eventually, the task is completed and generally met with success or approval from the environment. At this point, the cycle reaches its critical phase.

Instead of feeling pride or lasting satisfaction, the person experiences only temporary relief: "Phew, I got away with it this time." However, success is not integrated into the self-image.

If the person over-prepared, he or she will attribute success to over-effort, thinking "I only made it because I worked three times as hard as everyone else, not because of my ability."

If he procrastinated and succeeded, he will attribute it to sheer luck, thinking "I was lucky they didn't notice."

As a result, confidence does not increase; on the contrary, success reinforces the belief of being a fraud and increases the pressure for the next time, restarting the cycle with greater intensity.

Summary

This repetitive pattern begins with the assignment of a task, which triggers an immediate response of anxiety and doubt about the ability to perform it successfully.

To manage the fear, the person reacts with obsessive over-preparation or procrastination, working not out of passion, but as a defense mechanism to avoid outside judgment.

Upon completion of the task, success provides only temporary relief and not confidence, as it is attributed to over-effort or luck, restarting the cycle with greater intensity.