Comments on: Battling Imposter Syndrome

By: John Graden

John Graden — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:12:22 +0000

My new book is The Impostor Syndrome. You can find out about it at http://www.johngraden.com

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:39:46 +0000

I have talked myself out of so many potential possibilities, but, have begun to hear positive things around me by people I do believe care about me and are interested in my all round welfare not only the talent that I may have <- see! doing it there. I find it so hard to own work I create and see it for what it is, but this is improving – I am using the if at first you dont succeed try and try again technique.

Thanks for the posts and website – been a real good eyeopener.

Alan :)

By: JacobM

JacobM — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:48:23 +0000

Oh, yeah, a big me too.

Another piece that causes impostor syndrome is that, as I get to be better at what I do (I’m a developer), my standards go up. So the code I wrote a few months ago always looks awful (by my newer standards).

Occasionally I’m able to stop myself and say “hey, what would the me of a year ago think of this code — he’d be amazed”, but it takes a conscious effort to do that.

Unfortunately, my standards seem to get higher a hair faster than my skills actually improve, so I always feel like I’m just short of producing really high-quality work.

By: wonkydonkydotnet

wonkydonkydotnet — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:05:39 +0000

Me too!!!!!!!!!

I heard somewhere that even guys like Einstein and Tesla felt like total frauds at times.

Some things in the book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” by Daniel Amen have been helpful, especially the stuff on ANTS, Basal Ganglia and Cingulate Gyrus.

Maybe a lot of Web Workers all have similar brain imbalances???

By: Emily Williams

Emily Williams — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:31:11 +0000

I didn’t know this had a name! Somehow that makes me feel better. I’m just starting out as a community manager and working in social media, and I have definitely been feeling this way – I didn’t study this, what the hell am I doing, do my bosses realize that a lot of this is (not-so)educated guessing? It’s been helpful to think that other people feel this way, and that a lot of the time just projecting confidence and trying will get you far, so thanks for this post.

By: Duane Wolff

Duane Wolff — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:07:50 +0000

Yes, in the world of software development, this is common. I know I’ve felt this way many times. But then, a piece of code comes together or a long battle with a problem is solved in one “I got it!” moment and I feel right as rain again.

By: George Donnelly

George Donnelly — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:14:55 +0000

I started my own business in area I self-trained for, i.e., no formal education.

I fought this imposter syndrome for awhile.

I never realized there could be a name for it…

People who want to have multiple careers in their life – who don’t go to school for X job and then do it all their lives, but instead hold a succession of different jobs in different categories – will inevitably suffer from this eventually I think.

By: Vince

Vince — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:53:08 +0000

I feel this way all the time. I did a search and found some good tips at a site called http://www.impostorsyndrome.com. My sister saw her speak at a seminar at Boeing.

By: Mike Gunderloy

Mike Gunderloy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:13:05 +0000

Thanks for the pointer, Lisa. I hadn’t seen that before, but we’re definitely thinking through some of the same issues.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:07:14 +0000

Quite similar to the recent Blogger Imposter post from last week:

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/06/24/do-you-suffer-from-blogger-imposter-syndrome/