Feelings of inadequacy are completely normal. Everyone has self doubt from time to time but the person to be afraid of is the megalomaniac who never has any self doubt. Those are the ones who have had the largest and worst impacts throughout history. I am certain that you can think of several names to fill in here, so I will stop and allow others to list them.

Haha! Nice reference there, Vinay ;-)
Our president seems to be afflicted with this syndrome. He thinks he's a king.

I believe it is natural for all to have some self doubt. Decades of interaction with others has reduced my own doubts. I have made it a primary value to be honest with myself and others. Having triumphed over most of my competitors has shown me who the real impostors were. Oh, I have some self doubt, but I no longer have time to entertain much of it. I have doubts about my doubts... :) Many of the examples in the article are people who many would say have been overly rewarded for their true contributions to society or their actual effort and skills required for same. That is perhaps at the root of their own feelings. In some cases this is a collectivist attitude. I am unworthy... well if you look at it one can see how they could feel that way. Do we reward those who develop a cure for a disease as handsomely as we do an actor for pretending? (I'm not a doctor , but I play one on TV). I have no problem with rewarding actors with what the market decides. I have a problem with producers having their just rewards diminished... the Dagny Taggarts, Hank Reardens and John Galts... There are true impostors, many are in government, may or may not know it, and are overly rewarded.

Do you know anyone who has Imposter Syndrome? I know one prominent person with IS---Senator Olivia Allen, and I know her well (t-i-c).

I used to do this, it´s called lying. In particular, lying to one´s self. I did it mostly out of shame. Now I´m proud to admit when I´m at a loss or don´t know something, no matter what that may cost. I live life stress free because not only do I not lie to people, but mainly I don´t lie to myself. That´s the ticket here. Socrates´ example is key, for the more we learn the less we know. And this is real, so if someone is acting out the part of a genious or great cultivated person, be sure to know you´re face to face with a fraud.

Significant amount of research traces IS back to a tiger parent, namely huge pressure and excessive expectations of THE OTHERS, merely coming second in class once is a "calamity", AS EXPERIENCED BY THE CHILD of 8,9, or 10. Hence Olivia has a tiger mom in the book. It could be the reason that many of these children, who already have high analytical or creative IQs, achieve a lot, but the measurement against the world as against your won standards, takes a toll on self-esteem. People with IS have a gaping hole in their self-esteem, they are never good enough, no matter what they accomplish. Two brilliant students, boys, both of whom I knew personally (but not well), committed suicide at around 18 years of age, one in first year of medical school simply because a girl thwarted his efforts to get her to love him, and the other simply because once, just once, he was not first in class at a very high-achieving university. And then he was dead.

Hoffman starred in a quirky movie, "Synedoche, New York". The storyline centers on a theatrical director who receives a "genius grant" and uses it to build a full-size replica of New York, populated with actors, etc., all of which are supposed to be scripted and under his control. The whole thing unravels when the "characters" insist on having minds of their own.

Although Hoffman did not write or direct the film, it seems a perfect metaphor for his life. We might also look at his best-known role, Truman Capote, who was a lifelong impostor of sorts.

Come to think of it, the one person who SHOULD feel this way, but clearly doesn't is the current President.

If you listen to Yaron Brook's lecture, and understand it as an Objectivist, I don't see how you could have the "Imposter Syndrome." You are grounded in a philosophy that extolls reason. You are....well, if you understand Objectivism at all, I don't need to remind you. All those who express their feelings of inadequacy do so, for the most part, because in spite of their talent and ability the only grounding in reality that they have is either ghosts or false premises.

For more read The Frankenstein Candidate

I found it interesting that so many of the people cited in the article were West coast liberals. I have long thought the desire of so may "stars" to run everyone's life with other people's money, was based on their own sense of not deserving the huge salaries they receive for perceived limited talent..
Actually, doubt can some relation to intelligence in some cases. The more you learn, the more you see there is so much more to learn. It does not bring on self doubt, actually, just healthy skepticism of anyone knowing all the answers, including you.
I have known several CEOs who could not listen to alternate opinions, almost as if they feared they might have thrown all in for the wrong stand.Not engaging in discussion closes all possibility of being wrong. Our Prez will not allow discussion, only talking at people.

Definitely not for a person walking a tight rope over the Grand Canyon to have an attack if IS.

PSH got well-deserved acclaim for Doubt. In that film, the priest delivers a sermon (ironically played by PSH) at the beginning, titled "We all have doubts," and that then is the theme of the movie. But Im Syn is very different from having the occasional self-doubt.