It has taken me many decades, plenty of therapy, and a lot of practice, but I have finally gotten a handle on my imposter syndrome. I usually only experience it at conferences when I'm surrounded by highly educated people.
Even though I have a PhD, I can feel like I don't really belong among the "brainiacs" most of the time. The syndrome, which is regularly experienced by even the highest-functioning people among us, is characterized by feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence as well as a sense that any personal success is due to luck rather than skill, education, or experience.
Even the renowned author Maya Angelou struggled with imposter syndrome, writing, "I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody and they're going to find me out.’" For just a moment, writing the above, I had a moment of thinking I'm an imposter for thinking that I have the same right to claim the syndrome as Maya Angelou.
Now that's a little bit messed up, right? I don't have to be the smartest person in the room to admit that I'm smart too.