The Superhuman Imposter: When You Feel You Should Do It All

In the fifth post focusing on the five types of Imposter Syndrome as identified by Dr Valerie Young, we look at the fifth type which is less about perfectionism, knowledge, or doing things alone, and instead is about doing everything,  and still feeling like it’s not enough.

This is the Superhuman Imposter: the part of you that constantly strives to prove your worth through doing, achieving, and outperforming — yet never feels you’ve done enough.

🎯 What Defines the Superhuman Imposter

The Superhuman equates competence with constant productivity, and if you’re not exceeding expectations, you feel like you’re falling short.

Common signs include:

• Struggling to slow down or rest without guilt.

• Feeling driven to work harder than everyone else.

• Believing you must excel in every role - colleague, parent, partner, friend.

• Difficulty recognising success or internalising praise.

• Feeling like a failure if you can’t “keep up.”

On the surface, it looks like dedication, but underneath, it’s often driven by fear - “If I stop, I’ll be exposed.”

⚡ The Hidden Costs

The Superhuman Imposter can lead to chronic stress and exhaustion, no matter how much you achieve, the sense of “enough” never arrives.

The costs include:

• Burnout: from constant overworking and self-pressure.

• Disconnection: relationships and wellbeing take a back seat.

• Shame and guilt: whenever you rest or slow down.

• Perfectionism creep: even leisure or self-care become performance-driven.

What starts as ambition turns into survival, fuelled by threat, not value.

🧭 An ACT/CFT Perspective

From an ACT perspective, the Superhuman Imposter is often a form of experiential avoidance - overworking to outrun self-doubt, anxiety, or shame.
The mind says: “If I just achieve more, I’ll finally feel secure.”

But in reality, the more you chase achievement to escape self-doubt, the stronger the doubt becomes.

From a CFT perspective, this pattern reflects an overactivated Drive system and an underdeveloped Soothing system.
The mind is stuck in “doing” mode, while the body never feels safe enough to rest.
Compassion practices help rebalance these systems, learning that worth isn’t earned through exhaustion.

🌤 A Different Way Forward

Breaking free from the Superhuman pattern doesn’t mean lowering your standards, it means shifting from proving your worth to living your values.

Practical shifts include:

1. Redefine productivity. Ask: “Am I acting from values or from fear of not being enough?”

2. Pause on purpose. Learn to give yourself permission to rest without struggling with feelings of guilt.

3. Practise self-compassion. You’re already worthy - effort doesn’t determine value.

4. Reconnect with values. Choose what matters most, rather than trying to excel at everything.

🌟 Final Thoughts

The Superhuman Imposter thrives on the illusion that your worth depends on doing more, but true confidence and contentment come from knowing when to stop, breathe, and simply be.

You don’t have to do it all to prove your value, you’re enough, even when you rest.

👉 This concludes my 5-part series on the Imposter Types.
Next, we’ll explore how to integrate these insights - and build psychological flexibility to step beyond imposterism altogether.