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Many of the most intelligent and capable people I know suffer from impostor syndrome to some degree. It can vary from worrying that you might not be as good as

by ohazi 9y ago

Many of the most intelligent and capable people I know suffer from impostor syndrome to some degree. It can vary from worrying that you might not be as good as your peers, to being afraid to release something because you're worried it's not perfect yet, to a paralyzing inability to start, because you're stuck in a mental loop overthinking dependencies and prerequisites. Smart people spend lots of time learning, thinking about things, and relying on their (often overactive) imaginations. It's not surprising that spending so much time in your own head can sometimes lead you astray. A helpful response would be to reassure and encourage your peers. Point out when there's objective evidence that they are doing a good job, because they may not be able to see it on their own. In this light, the attitude displayed by the current top level commenters is extremely disappointing [0,1]. Insinuating that your coworkers are slow or out of their depth in circumstances like these is counterproductive. IMHO, this "maybe you're just not good enough" attitude is one of the most toxic aspects of living in silicon valley and the bay area. I am a perfectionist, and I know that I waste gobs of time over-analyzing absolutely everything [2]. I also know that my best work only happens when I force myself to set aside that perfectionism and just start. It doesn't matter if it's terrible, it doesn't matter if I picked the wrong library -- wasting more time over-analyzing everything never gets me anywhere, and leaves me feeling miserable at the end of the day. I know, objectively, that this is the case, and yet I still hesitate to start big projects, and still attempt to use spreadsheets to plan the most trivial of things. It's not an easy habit to break, but it's absolutely worthwhile to keep trying. I owe a lot to the peers and managers who have helped me stay on track. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16335156 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16335156 [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16334873 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16334873 [2] https://xkcd.com/1952/ https://xkcd.com/1952/

ryanwaggoner 9y ago
Definitely agree on that second one: “harhar, all perfectionists are making excuses for their lack of skill and keeping me from my brilliant work!!” Not someone I’d want to work with, but I’m sure he’d think I’m too slow and stupid anyway :)
kaybe 9y ago
I am at my best when I don't really care too much about being good. Sadly this is hard to impossible to force.
- frading 9y ago
  I wouldn't say it's impossible. There are a few ways to fight this feeling. First, try and understand why you care so much, if that excess of care is giving you too much pressure. Maybe you care too much because that's your livelihood, and that prevents you from taking risks? In that case, try and shop for other jobs and maybe seeing what other options are available will make you be more relax. Or maybe you care too much because the timing means you have only one shot at whatever you're working on? Then work beforehand on having more options. Or lowering the risk of your project failing. Think about a plan B, or C. What I'm trying to say basically is that if you feel that you're at your best when you don't care too much, find ways to create that distance or relaxation. That might need some time, logistics, or introspection, but it's certainly worth it.

by ohazi 9y ago

ryanwaggoner 9y ago

Definitely agree on that second one: “harhar, all perfectionists are making excuses for their lack of skill and keeping me from my brilliant work!!” Not someone I’d want to work with, but I’m sure he’d think I’m too slow and stupid anyway :)

kaybe 9y ago

I am at my best when I don't really care too much about being good. Sadly this is hard to impossible to force.

frading 9y ago
I wouldn't say it's impossible. There are a few ways to fight this feeling. First, try and understand why you care so much, if that excess of care is giving you too much pressure. Maybe you care too much because that's your livelihood, and that prevents you from taking risks? In that case, try and shop for other jobs and maybe seeing what other options are available will make you be more relax. Or maybe you care too much because the timing means you have only one shot at whatever you're working on? Then work beforehand on having more options. Or lowering the risk of your project failing. Think about a plan B, or C. What I'm trying to say basically is that if you feel that you're at your best when you don't care too much, find ways to create that distance or relaxation. That might need some time, logistics, or introspection, but it's certainly worth it.