Impostor Syndrome is like being a secret agent - in the most depressing way imaginable.

No matter how hard you work, no matter how much you achieve, you still feel like a fraud. You still question your ability and you're waiting to be exposed. More formally, it's often referred to as "a failure to internalize success." You attribute your accomplishments to luck or insane amounts of effort, but never talent or skill.

And much of the advice we get isn't helpful either. Merely "telling yourself you're good enough" has all the scientific rigor of a Hallmark Card. Self-affirmations are as likely to cure this as they'd cure baldness. We need real answers, not platitudes.

Funny thing is there's a whole pile ...