Impostor Syndrome in Programming
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Impostor Syndrome in Programming
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Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#2How do you know whether you need to fix Impostor Syndrome or Dunning-Kruger?
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#3Sometimes I wonder how much of imposter syndrome comes from “knowing” something but being unable to clearly articulate what you know and the underlying information to others.
Like the old exercise where you have to write instructions for making PB&J. I know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but when I have to explain it, clearly, and in minute detail I’m forced to acknowledge the gaps - the steps my brain just skips over and takes as a given. But PB&J is easy so even when I might struggle with articulating the mechanics of it to someone else I don’t doubt my ability. That changes quickly though as complexity increases.
I’ve baked a lot of bread and I’m intimately familiar with how my bread dough rises differently depending on lighting, the temperature of my house, and even the material I cover the dough with while it proofs. But a lot of that happens without too much active thought - I just kind of know how to adjust my mental math for these factors. I’m not sure I could clearly and succinctly articulate this knowledge to someone else. And even now I’m having imposter syndrome wondering if someone here will tell me it’s clear I have no idea how yeast actually works... and maybe I don’t!
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#4What really helped me was meeting with other people in similar field. Looked at their work and was surprised that they weren't as good as I thought or even people sitting at higher position.
On the other hand, I got to know that I'm not as bad as I thought. Instead I'm good. But, still even after all this. There are times when the Imposter Syndrome kicks in.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#5The opening description resonates with me. I would say I'm pretty experienced in what I do, but do I know the detail of being accurate with everything? No. This is why I don't blog nearly enough because it takes a lot more time explaining details that I filter out in my day-to-day work.
Experience can come from knowing enough concepts to make stuff work, but also knowing where to look to fill in the gaps should you need to do. It's also knowing when to fill in those gaps, and when to leave them because it's not important right now.
I would say imposter syndrome is the anxious feel not knowing all the gaps and questioning yourself. Some people are impacted by this, others are not.
If you adopt a growth mindset, you see these gaps as advances in your craft, and not a measurement of your inexperience.
The real question to ask is what about that trigger is causing your to feel uneasy and become anxious. This is usually a more complex question to answer. If you can get to a point of exploring that question objectively and without judgment of yourself, you can path the way to overcoming imposter syndrome.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#6Sometimes I wonder how much of imposter syndrome comes from “knowing” something but being unable to clearly articulate what you know and the underlying information to others. Like the old exercise where you have to write instructions for making PB&J. I know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but when I have to explain it, clearly, and in minute detail I’m forced to acknowledge the gaps - the steps my brai…
I see the opposite almost exclusively... people that can talk a great game but can't actually write a line of code.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#7If you ever start to feel comfortable, to feel like you are a genius and you have a handle on everything that's when you need to worry. Imposter syndrome will drive you motivate you and spur you to continue to improve. However Dunning-Kruger will turn you into an intolerable a-hole that everyone wants to avoid and will ruin things.
To paraphrase Paul Graham, great hackers don't seem to wonder why they are so smart, but rather wonder why everyone else seems so incompetent.
The trick is just to not tie, your identity, who you are, your sense of self worth to how good you are as a programmer. As long as you can avoid that embrace the imposter syndrome and let it drive you to improve, for knowledge is like compound interest, a little bit more now will result in a substantial return on investment in the future.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#8How do you know whether you need to fix Impostor Syndrome or Dunning-Kruger?
My answer to that would be down to whether you're judging yourself (imposter syndrome and self worth and competency) or judging the amount you don't know (objective assessment of the field and what's left to learn).
For those not familiar with Dunning-Kruger, it's the cognitive bias where people overestimate their ability when they have little knowledge. But on the flip side, the more knowledge you have, you can end up underestimating your ability. Which, in this case, can look like imposter syndrome.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#9While imposter syndrome might be uncomfortable, I think its generally trait that helps someone become a good developer.
By realizing you don't know everything you are more inclined to continually improve your knowledge.
I think teaching and writing are also good ways of getting over it. Once you explain a concept to people you will know you don't have gaps in your knowledge to arrive at a working understanding.
I think of it as a feeling everyone feels at some point if they care about doing a good job. If you never feel it, you are probably playing it too safe and aren't growing as fast as you could be as a result.
Re: Impostor Syndrome in Programming
#10Sometimes I wonder how much of imposter syndrome comes from “knowing” something but being unable to clearly articulate what you know and the underlying information to others. Like the old exercise where you have to write instructions for making PB&J. I know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but when I have to explain it, clearly, and in minute detail I’m forced to acknowledge the gaps - the steps my brai…
I think actually teaching people is a great way of getting mastery at something. If you teach people and they get good results you can be confidant you know enough about the subject.