Michelle Obama opens up about lifelong impostor syndrome battle

Barack Obama met Michelle (then Robinson) in 1989 when they worked together at a law firm in Chicago. At that time, she was his advisor, and although she initially refused to go on a date with him, she eventually changed her mind and quickly fell in love. The former U.S. president proposed two years later at a restaurant where the couple was celebrating passing the bar exam. "And then the waiter came over with the dessert and a tray. And there was the ring!" she recalled years later.

In her new book, "Overcoming: A Workbook," Michelle Obama shared her insights on how she and her husband Barack Obama deal with marital issues, and also revealed her struggles with self-esteem and the "impostor syndrome" she faces.

People experiencing "impostor syndrome" feel they are not competent enough in their field. They often question their own integrity and believe they do not deserve success or recognition from others. They argue that their skills or knowledge are insufficient to earn approval and recognition.

"I still have 'impostor syndrome.' It never goes away," Obama said in an interview with Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. "It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is," she added.

Michelle Obama handles marital disputes with more difficulty than her husband. She experiences arguments more intensely than her partner and needs much more time to resolve them. "My brain will sometimes implode at the outset of a conflict, and the last thing I want to do is engage in some instantly rational, bullet-pointed debate about who's right or what the solution is," she said.

Living with "impostor syndrome" is not easy. Barack Obama's beloved constantly torments herself. "I've lived with my fearful mind for more than sixty years now," she emphasized. "We don't get along. She makes me uneasy. She likes to see me weak. She keeps a giant overstuffed file folder containing every mistake and misstep I've ever made and is constantly scanning the universe for further evidence of my failings," she assessed.