Imposter Syndrome Conference Keynote Speaker Convinced He Was Invited by Mistake

Dr. Franklin Inadequacy, widely regarded as the world's foremost authority on imposter syndrome, nearly missed his own keynote address at the International Conference on Self-Doubt and Professional Identity after becoming convinced that his invitation was a clerical error and that conference organizers would 'realize their mistake at any moment.' 'I've published forty-three papers on imposter syndrome,' Dr. Inadequacy told the audience, once he was finally coaxed to the podium. 'I wrote the book. Literally — it's called The Imposter Inside, and it's in its sixth printing. And this morning I sat in a supply closet for forty-five minutes because I was sure someone more qualified was supposed to be standing here.' The confession drew immediate recognition from the audience of 800 psychologists, researchers, and clinicians, approximately 740 of whom later admitted they had also questioned whether they deserved to attend. 'I assumed my registration was processed incorrectly,' said attendee Dr. Sandra Fraud. 'I kept my badge in my pocket in case someone asked to see it and realized I didn't belong.' Dr. Inadequacy's keynote, titled 'You Probably Don't Deserve to Be Here (But You Are, So Let's Talk About It),' addressed the recursive nature of imposter syndrome among imposter syndrome researchers. 'I study the feeling that you don't deserve your success. And I feel that I don't deserve my success in studying that feeling. The irony is not therapeutic. It is just irony.' The conference concluded with a group exercise in which attendees practiced saying 'I am qualified to be here' aloud. The exercise was led by Dr. Inadequacy, who could not bring himself to participate in his own exercise. He received a standing ovation, which he later described as 'probably meant for whoever was originally supposed to give this talk.'