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Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
21–30 of 30 posts
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#22This isn't me giving advice since you're probably more experienced than me. My perspective and belief, however, is that you gain in-depth knowledge by going down layers of abstraction. Instead of using an RDBMS, write a database from scratch. Instead of making a game in Unity, make it with OpenGL or D3D11. Write a 6502 or 8086 emulator. Write a toy operating system. And so on. I find that when I do these types of pro…
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Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#23Navigating the tech industry's vastness can be overwhelming. Consider focusing on a niche within distributed systems that truly interests you. Deepening your understanding through online courses or workshops could help you bridge the knowledge gap.
Remember, expertise is a journey, not an instant achievement. Embrace the learning process and gradually you'll find yourself gaining more in-depth insights.
Impostor Syndrome is common; you're not alone on this path.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#24I don't know if this will help you or not, but more than anything the skill that has helped me develop expertise within my field is learning to ask really good questions and listening thoughtfully to the responses. It can feel risky because there's vulnerability in asking a question! But if you use a little flattery (vs. trying to hedge by sneaking in your own answer), people will share enthusiastically. When you get…
This is such a seemingly simple notion, it borders on the obvious when stated, but I think folks who put forth an honest effort to apply it in practice tend to discover that it’s far more powerful than its surface level reading. It was surprising to me how little I actually engaged with what others were contributing until I made a genuine effort to do so. It generally requires several other deceptively simple traits that can/should be cultivated—traits such as humility, an understanding of how to make/receive constructive criticism, how to apply that feedback productively, and an overall willingness to allow others to reshape your own endeavors.
In my own experience I learned that in almost every case where I sought the participation of others and relinquished some of my control my work was objectively improved across the board—the final product seemed much more mature, robust, and I was introduced to a lot of blind spots that allowed me to learn and grow, which in turn helps improve future efforts. My personal philosophy now simply asserts that in most scenarios I only stand to gain with the involvement of more (and more diverse) voices.
More to the OP’s original point, I believe that accepting one’s own limits, and freely admitting when a task or project may test/exceed them, is one of the components to this same general humility. It’s empowering to be able to nourish your curiosity and push your limits. Involving others who can support that effort expands your possibilities and while providing additional protection against failures. All of this is healthy, just generally, but such collaboration can also help define where you stand among your peers, identify potential gaps in your knowledge/abilities, reassure yourself that your contributions are meaningful, and shape the path to further growth. The same is true for everyone involved, and you can lend your own strengths to their development in-kind. Concerns for how you’re perceived by others should center around how you engaged with the process and helped foster progress, the results of which should speak for themselves in the long run.
TLDR; I diverged a bit from the parent comment. Lots of people are smart, and skilled people are interchangeable with other skilled people. Being generous, sincere, and supportive however can make you indispensable. However, all of these traits require cultivating and training, whether it’s technical knowledge or listening with empathy.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#25It sounds like you're comparing yourself to other people, and feeling that something is lacking. It also sounds like you have a fairly successful career. Why do you want to be an industry leader? Ego? Dissatisfaction with the similarity of your work?
I think “industry leaders” in most cases are more or less interchangeable with many of their peers, they just had similar skill/expertise while also enjoying a significant level of basic good fortune. They also tend to have far less influence than they’d like to admit. They are subject to the same circumstances and trends as anyone, and true iconoclasts who can boast success are vanishingly rare.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#26[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#27Maybe it’s too much focus on work and not enough relaxation or vacation to let new ideas flow in?
You could be the best at x task but there are only 5 positions in the middle of nowhere that require it so why spend time on it?
Otherwise, audit your time in 15min increments for one week, reduce entertainment, and get enough sleep/exercise/etc. Use a dumb phone.
I’m not sure if you’re in a mid life crisis or pre-retirement one. I sat down then wrote a 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 year hypothetical plan and realized I needed to change it all because of the retirement date as well as value for spending my time doing it all.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#28But why do you need to handle this situation? If you're already happy with your job and they are with you, who cares?
It sounds more like you want to work on getting rid of imposter syndrome. Just realise nobody really knows what they're doing because there are no absolutes.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#29I can majorly relate and can say you're not alone. As for providing helpful suggestions, sorry, I'm fresh out as I'm struggling myself.
Re: Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Find a very narrow area where you would like to have in-depth knowledge This is always where I get stuck. I see something, and say “hey this looks interesting” maybe I should invest in this”. But I always worry that I’ll over invest in it at the cost of other more general, but “useful” things.
The world has space for specialists and generalists, for good reason. So ideally you have a mix of breadth and some very specific depth. If we could see the future accurately we wouldn't need careers advice or HN! Part of this is that you need to take a punt or three, but probably try to ensure they are interesting and enjoyable, since you are more likely to stick at them.
“(…) probably try to ensure they are interesting and enjoyable, since you are more likely to stick at them.”
I agree. This comment reminded me of PG’s latest essay, where he writes about this. I can gladly recommend this text.