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Why I feel like a fraud

blog.asmartbear.com

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Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#31

Post by sabat »

dholowiski wrote: post #13

I struggle with this often: I KNOW I'm not as smart/talented/capable as other people think I am, especially at programming. I haven't been programming for that long, and it takes me an hour to write something that should take me 10 minutes to write. However, my skills continue to amaze my peers (who are all non-technical) and they think I'm a genius because I can build a web site with a login form, or register a doma…

Just because you read a book, and wrote a few blog posts doesn't make you an expert!

Or it does make you an expert, but "expert" doesn't mean what we think it means. ;-)

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#32

Post by guglanisam »

I used to feel this way for first 6 years of my career when I was working for other people and doing pretty well. But to myself I used to think - am I really good.

But ever since I became an entrpr I feel totally natural & confident in doing what I m doing. I guess its also about are you really you are totally passionate about. If yes - you are to absorbed in it that you dont have time for these things

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#33

Post by allenp »

mgkimsal wrote: post #27
allenp wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 on the recognition of having a supportive spouse - this is a huge factor in my motivation and lack of depression. I know what you mean about comparing yourself to someone accomplished. I keep this as a google document for when I need a reminder to keep going: A list of Abraham Lincoln’s Failures: - Lost job, 1832 - Defeated for legislature, 1832 - Failed in business, 1833 - Elected to legislature, 1834 - Sweethear…

You forgot to add "killed". Probably the biggest, finalest "loser" moment anyone can face. :/ I wonder how well history would have judged him had he not been killed in office. Certainly some positive aspects, but we may have focused a bit more on his negatives (and he would have had more negatives in his life). BTW, find and read "Lincoln the Unknown" if you can get your hands on it. VERY good read (imo).

Thanks for that book suggestion I'll look for it. I don't have his death on here, that's true. The list is more about overcoming adversity than chronicling all his failures - though you may be right that he would be seen more negatively if he had lived. Perhaps the circumstances of his death helped create the legend around him - a lemons out of lemonade sort of thing (admittedly those are some damn sour lemons however).

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#37

Post by zoomzoom »

Ignorance is very scary. I went to TEDxBrooklyn this weekend, and heard Richard Saul Wurman say that he lives by embracing his ignorance, because it is the only unlimited resource he has. I think that the only way to overcome this self-doubt is to accept that you will never overcome it, and make it part of your confidence to be doubtful.

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#38

Post by terra_t »

There is no "typical entrepreneur".

If you look at wall street traders, Fortune 500 CEO's and other populations that have been through intense selection processes you'll find very homogeneous populations.

If you look at entrepreneurs, you'll find confident people, anxious people, short people, tall people, thin people, fat people -- all kinds of people. That's because entrepreneurs select themselves rather than being selected by a bunch of people who want to select other people like themselves.

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#39

Post by mcantor »

"First you get your Bachelor's degree, and you think you know everything."

"Then, you get your Master's, and you realize you don't know anything."

"Then you get your Doctorate, and you find out that nobody knows anything."

Re: Why I feel like a fraud

#40

Post by _b8r0 »

I definitely feel like a fraud all the time. In meetings someone will introduce me as an information security expert and it makes my blood run cold. I keep thinking to myself, "This isn't rocket science, it's just common sense surely?" but bizarrely there are still developers out there who haven't heard of input validation, bounds checking or even how to do authorisation properly.

I worked out the other day that I've been doing this job for about 12 years. There's that whole 10,000 hours thing when it comes to being an expert, and I think I've put in several times that but I certainly don't feel like an expert in anything. If anything I keep expecting someone to turn up and point out blatant flaws in everything I say, but somehow it doesn't happen.

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