“Imposter Syndrome Isn’t Just for Professionals — Moms Feel It Too”

How the quiet doubts of motherhood mirror the loud doubts of leadership.

Imposter syndrome gets a lot of attention in the workplace — the meetings, the presentations, the promotions, the pressure.

But there’s a version no one talks about nearly enough:

Mom Imposter Syndrome.

The kind that hits at 2 a.m. when the house is quiet.

The kind that shows up uninvited when you’re folding laundry or packing lunches.

The kind that follows you, whispers to you, second-guesses you.

It sounds like this:

“Did I attend enough games?”

“Are they emotionally scarred from daycare at 4 months old?”

“Did I read enough books to them?”

“Was I too strict? Too soft?”

“Do they have enough chores?”

“Did I protect them enough?”

“Did I let them struggle enough?”

“Did they have enough breakfasts with me? Enough 1:1 time?”

“Am I teaching them the right lessons?”

“Will they know how to live on their own — really live?”

“Are they going to be good humans?”

“Did I do… enough?”

It’s the same voice that professional imposter syndrome uses — just wearing yoga pants and holding a baseball schedule.

The Invisible Pressure No One Talks About

As moms, we are constantly evaluating ourselves.

Not because we’re failing…

but because we care so deeply.

We carry this pressure to get it right — all of it — even though “right” is a moving target no one can hit consistently.

The truth?

Most moms feel this but we don’t talk about it.

Because the world loves to evaluate mothers — but rarely asks mothers how they evaluate themselves.

The Moment of Clarity

Every so often, I look at my sons — kind, smart, funny, confident, hardworking, thoughtful — and I think:

“How did we get here?”

Despite the:

• daycare guilt

• missed baseball games (heartbreaking every time)

• chaotic mornings

• freezer dinners

• yelling I’m not proud of

• nights spent exhausted instead of present

• busy seasons

• lessons learned the hard way

…they’re good humans.

Really good humans.

And that’s when it hits me:

Maybe I didn’t get everything perfect, but I got the important things right.

Consistency.

Love.

Security

Structure

Laughter

Honesty.

Apologies when needed.

Boundaries when necessary.

Warmth always.

That’s what sticks.

Not the guilt we carry silently.

The Leadership Connection No One Sees Coming

Leaders feel imposter syndrome because they care about how they show up.Moms feel imposter syndrome for the same reason.

It’s not a flaw.It’s a sign of investment.

Both roles require:

• patience

• emotional intelligence

• decision-making under uncertainty

• resilience

• modeling behavior

• empathy

• accountability

• constant adjustment

Motherhood IS leadership — just with messier hair and more laundry.

The Lesson

Imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It means you’re paying attention.

It means your heart is in the right place.

It means you’re trying.

And that’s what defines good parenting — not perfection.

My Unfiltered Truth

I will always wonder if I did enough.

Because that’s what moms do.

But when I look at my sons now, the answer becomes beautifully, obviously clear:

I did.

And so did you.

Reader Reflection

What is one thing you silently question about your parenting?And what evidence — real evidence — do you have that you’re doing a better job than you think?

Because you are.We all are.We’re just too busy loving our kids to notice.