Imposter Syndrome and Confidence
If you’re like me, you’ve tried your hand at multiple hobbies and never felt like you were 100% committed to it or that it just wasn’t for you, wasn’t meant to be. I’ve done this growing up when it came to sports, after-school activities like clubs and shop class, and even hands-on crafts such as ceramics or even drawing. Art and design never came fluidly with me, though that’s something for another blog post. What I was experiencing was imposter syndrome, that anything I wanted to tackle, I always felt like an imposter in it. And most recently, that was with Software Engineering! I’m going to talk about how I’ve dealt with Imposter Syndrome and alongside it, confidence which relates directly to it.
Imposter Syndrome by definition is a psychological experience that one feels when they feel like a fraud in their field, that they doubt their skills, talents, and accomplishments. I’ve had this feeling from when I started learning programming on my own, to attending a bootcamp and to even now after recently graduated the bootcamp. Maybe, I somehow cheated my way into this profession, or I got lucky and I don’t attribute any of my success to my hard work and skill. And I believe this is something common beginners deal with. But that’s just it, we’re just beginners.
We are at the start of our journey, regardless of what it is, that beginning can take a few months to a year to establish yourself. Everyone moves at their own pace and the important thing is this, if you’re actively doing the hobby, actively in that field of your desire, then you do belong there. There is no one quick solution to how to deal with Imposter Syndrome and it’s such a common occurrence that I’m sure there’s some type of medication for it. However, I believe the real issues lie with confidence and how you identify yourself.
Be confident in yourself and from what I have learned, confidence is gained from repetition. Repetition, repetition, repetition. If you want to become a basketball player, shoot hoops every day. If you want to learn how to draw or do 3D modeling, draw or model something every night. And if becoming a Software Engineer is one of your goals, then get to doing those git commits, Udemy courses, and projects. Always be doing something in your desired field of practice, grow your confidence, and make it second nature to you. This can be applied to many other things and not just hobbies or skillsets.
Remember, it is through perseverance, hard work, and effort that can help you gain the skills you want and to suppress that loathing feeling of Imposter Syndrome. I don’t believe it ever goes away, but it’s practice and confidence that can keep it at bay. And also, be reasonable with yourself, comparing your growth to others is another trap many fall in. You are yourself and no one else can be like you. So go out there and learn something new!
