Imposter Syndrome
EXPERT!"
FRAUD..."
Doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud, despite clear, objective evidence of your competence and success.
THE TRAP TEST
1 / 5You are promoted to Senior Engineer. Your first thought is...
👇 Choose one option:
The Curse of Knowledge
As you become an expert, complex things become easy for you. Because they feel easy to you, you falsely assume they must be easy for everyone else. Therefore, you conclude that your skills aren't special, and you must be a fraud.
The Silent Genius
Millions of brilliant ideas are never shared because the creator felt 'unqualified' to share them. Imposter syndrome is the leading cause of unrealized potential in high-performers, causing them to self-sabotage and hide their work from the world.
How to Defend Yourself
Keep a Brag Document
Maintain a running list of every win, compliment, and objective success you achieve. Read it when in doubt.
Own Your Luck
Luck plays a role, but luck doesn't write code or build companies. Hard work capitalizes on luck.
Teach a Beginner
The fastest way to realize you are an expert is to explain your field to someone who knows nothing.