Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

Take a step back and breathe. You are exactly where you need to be.

You cannot lose if you do not quit. - Alex Hormozi

Feeling like you are not good enough is a lingering fear that will always be in the back of your mind. It immediately navigates your brain as soon as you face a new challenge. I've experienced this plenty of times in my career and still currently do when taking on new features or bug fixes at work or a fun side project.

Proactive tips you can use to silence this fear:

  1. Recognize Your Achievements: When you acknowledge you have the experience and willingness to overcome an obstacle, nothing will get in your way. In the tech industry, there are never ending problems that are thrown at you and you need to balance mindfulness and mental health in order to get through them. Any acknowledgement lets your doubts know that you've been in this position before and are here now right where you belong.

  2. Embrace Continuous Learning: Anytime I get a sense of feeling like an imposter, I accept that right now I am being challenged to learn something new, whether that's branching off of something I've done before or building something entirely from scratch. I then make it my mission to do as much research as possible in this area of work before making any decisions that could lead to longer turnover hours. Know that others have most likely been in the same situation and there can be numerous resources available to you on the web, you just need to know what to search for.

  3. Seek Support and Mentorship: Search for groups where you can ask questions, interact with memebers, and learn from others. It really makes a difference knowing there are likeminded people willing to help others. Make your effort in solving the problem, make many mistakes, and learn from others. The best mentors in my life have always placed me on the right track to become the best version of myself. Find someone who will do the same for you.

  4. Challenge Negative Thoughts: We are humans of emotions rather than logic at heart. When you have these feelings, know two things.

    • In a week, month, year from now you will have overcome this obstacle.
    • These immediate thoughts are coming from emotions of fear, defeat and not from logic.

  5. Celebrate Small Wins: Any movement forward is progress, no matter how little. You should even celebrate early, starting a challenge is an excuse for a celebration in itself.