mposter syndrome can sometimes be a limiting belief among Reiki practitioners and teachers, espe-cially those who are trying to start a Reiki business or wish to become a Reiki practitioner and teacher. Imposter syndrome (IS) is a phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among individuals.1 IS can cause you to freeze, think that you are less-than, and not pursue your goals and plans. There are five types of imposter syndrome, each with its attributes. You may find you identify with one or more of them.

1. The Perfectionist: It has to be perfect, or it’s a failure. You micromanage, struggle with decision-making, and it makes you freeze because if it’s not perfect, you can’t get it done.
2. The Superhuman: You are always wanting to do more and more. You may want to create a million different aspects of your business or feel you need to get it all done at once. You feel stressed if something isn’t working, or you feel guilty if you take breaks.
3. The Natural Genius: Success can only come from naturally gifted people. Failing to achieve success on your first try can evoke shame and make you want to quit. If your business isn’t as successful at first as someone who has been doing it for 20 years, you aren’t good enough.
4. The Soloist: You need to do everything on your own, and asking for advice creates a feeling of incompetence.
5. The Expert: Not knowing everything denotes not knowing anything. Not knowing is failure and shame. You pursue every training possibility before feeling qualified to start.