Dear Techie, 

Have you ever thought 

“Nah, I don’t belong here.” 

“I may be at this good position and people see me as a cool person, but I don’t see myself the way people see me.”

“I’m not qualified enough”— even though you’re handling a leadership role quite well.

Does that ring a bell? Well you're not alone. Many have been there. Now pause— what you're looking for to embody what you feel is called imposter syndrome. 

Anyone can have this; men and women of different ages and career paths can feel like imposters. Now don't be anxious because you heard the word “syndrome”. It's not a disease, and it can be helped. It's more of your mind playing tricks on you. As a techie, you're likely to have experienced this. 

Simply put, imposter syndrome refers to a psychological happening whereby a person doubts his or her skills, talents, or accomplishments and is internally and continuously afraid of being called a fraud even when people don't think they are. In tech, it could be when you're surrounded by people who you think are smarter, more skilled, and more experienced. 

Some symptoms can be self doubt, low self esteem, anxiety, inability to move on from the past and past mistakes, not trusting your intuition, feeling “not enough”, negativity about yourself, and comparison with others. Some of these symptoms can be extreme.

You know, sometimes it can be beneficial to not be so sure of yourself so you can learn— especially if you're not the kind to easily accept corrections or you're a perfectionist, but when it is extreme it can make you devastated, depressed, or feel like giving up. 

But hey! Chin up. There's an antidote and it's simple. 

1. You need to recognize that you experience this first. 

2. Take a drink of “I don't need to be a superhero and do everything on my own so I can get help”. When you're done, take a huge bite out of “my shortcomings don't make me less of who I am. I am qualified enough, and everyone is unique in their own way.” 

3. Now relax and stop the comparison with others. Challenge the negativity and win. Talk to family. Talk to friends. Take a break. Exercise. Eat. 

And remember, if you feel someone is “better” than you at what you do at the moment, be happy because it is an opportunity to learn from them. 

Yours sincerely,

Pearl.