Method

Talk back to your brain with proof (challenge the thought)

When pre-task anxiety or an 'I'm the worst' spiral hits, notice it happening and answer your brain with concrete proof from the past ('I gave a talk last week and it went OK'). Interrogate the thought like a lawyer for the other side and write out the worst case.

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RSD and imposter syndrome generate an automatic ‘I’ll fail / I’m the worst’ signal that’s easy to believe. The antidote is not reassurance but interrogation: (1) notice the moment the thought appears; (2) recall a specific recent success as ‘proof’ and answer your brain with it; (3) cross-examine the thought like a lawyer for the other side — ‘how could anyone prove I’m the worst person in the world?’; (4) if panic won’t lift, explicitly write out the literal worst-case scenario — once it’s concrete you usually see you’ve survived worse and will be okay. Specifics defuse diffuse panic.

Helps with

Resources & links

1 source

Leanne Maskell
- 13:25 How To Beat Imposter Syndrome — Leanne Maskell (talk back to your brain)
- 55:26 How To Beat Imposter Syndrome — Leanne Maskell (lawyer for the other side)

What the research says

Scientific grade verified against the literature. No entries = no direct studies (graded from mechanism/experience).

What the grade means

A A — strongest evidence: meta-analyses or RCTs directly confirm it works (or, for diagnostic tools, strong validation of accuracy).

B B — good evidence: a single RCT, or a strong mechanism with supporting studies.

C C — weak / preliminary: a plausible mechanism, but few direct, controlled tests.

D D — no evidence: theory or isolated anecdotes, no studies.

Applies to: ADHD AuDHD