Let’s talk about imposter syndrome. At one point or another, in some context of life, everyone experiences it. It’s normal. Sometimes, we feel like imposters—that we don’t belong, that we’re not qualified, or that we shouldn’t really be there. We may wonder when people will find out that we have no idea what we’re doing.
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According to the research of Valerie Young, there are five distinct types of imposters. To make them easier to remember, I renamed them and created the acronym S.C.O.W.L. Think of that scowl face you make—it helps you lock the idea in your memory. S.C.O.W.L. stands for Self-Confidence Obstacles Wrecking Leadership.
The five imposters are:
- Scrutinizer
- Champion
- Overqualified
- Whiz
- Loner
Let’s take a closer look at each type.
The Scrutinizer is the perfectionist. For this person, even excellent isn’t good enough. Imagine delivering a presentation where 99% of participants give you rave reviews, but one person leaves a negative comment. The Scrutinizer will focus only on that one flaw, no matter how successful the presentation was overall. To them, making even a single mistake confirms they are an imposter—because if they were truly great, everything would be perfect.
The Champion is the overachiever who takes on more than anyone else. They’re the person everyone relies on to get things done: “Give it to the busiest person.” They manage countless projects, volunteer for extra tasks, and often play the martyr. But when they can’t keep up with everything, they feel like imposters, believing they should be capable of handling it all without fail.
The Overqualified type is constantly learning, training, and adding credentials. They believe that once they achieve “just one more” certification, diploma, or milestone, they’ll finally stop feeling like imposters. Yet, when they reach the top of one mountain, they’re already planning the next climb instead of enjoying the view. For them, “there” never arrives—because even when they reach it, they immediately set their sights on another goal, still believing they’re not enough.
The Whiz is the one who’s expected to know it all. They are often the smartest person in the room, the one everyone turns to for answers. But this comes with tremendous pressure. If they don’t know something, they feel exposed, as though they’ve been “found out.” Parents often feel this way when their children expect them to have every answer. Not knowing—even once—makes them feel like imposters.
Finally, there’s the Loner. This person prides themselves on doing everything alone. Asking for help feels like failure. If they need support—whether it’s learning new software or tackling a new project—they believe it proves they’re not capable, and therefore, imposters. Independence becomes a trap, keeping them from seeking the help that would actually make them stronger.
These are the five types of imposter syndrome you may encounter within yourself. In the next part of this series, we’ll explore how each of these tendencies can actually become an advantage—and what you can do if you find yourself identifying with one of these imposter types.
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