For when you are feeling like an imposter

[TechMonkey]

I know most of us feel it at some point, but that creeping feeling that we will be found out, that we don't really know what we are doing, that we are just keeping one step in front of everyone else.

 

I read a great post by Neil Gaiman and having just watched First Man it really resonated with me

 

https://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/160603396711/hi-i-read-that-youve-dealt-with-with-impostor

 

Some years ago, I was lucky enough invited to a gathering of great and good people: artists and scientists, writers and discoverers of things. And I felt that at any moment they would realise that I didn’t qualify to be there, among these people who had really done things.

On my second or third night there, I was standing at the back of the hall, while a musical entertainment happened, and I started talking to a very nice, polite, elderly gentleman about several things, including our shared first name. And then he pointed to the hall of people, and said words to the effect of,“I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.”

 

And I said,“Yes. But youwerethe first man on the moon. I think that counts for something.”

 

And I felt a bit better. Because if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did. Maybe there weren’t any grown-ups, only people who had worked hard and also got lucky and were slightly out of their depth, all of us doing the best job we could, which is all we can really hope for.

 

I hope this helps someone, even if not now right at this moment.

Edited September 27, 2019 by elsiegee40

[BKGarry]

I know most of us feel it at some point, but that creeping feeling that we will be found out, that we don't really know what we are doing, that we are just keeping one step in front of everyone else.

 

I read a great post by Neil Gaiman and having just watched First Man it really resonated with me

 

https://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/160603396711/hi-i-read-that-youve-dealt-with-with-impostor

 

 

 

I hope this helps someone, even if not now right at this moment.

Thank you @TechMonkey this us actually just what I needed.

[TechMonkey]

No problem. We all need it at some point