lesson #8 — impostor syndrome

Impostor syndrome visits me constantly, and I don’t want to welcome it anymore. In its worst version, it paralyzes me. In its “best” version, it pushes me to keep growing in what I do. Still, there’s nothing nice about feeling insecure about who I am and what I do.

Understanding what it is

Impostor syndrome is rooted in insecurity. It shows up as doubting my professional achievements and accomplishments. It makes me lose confidence in my work, question whether I truly deserve the place I’m in, and keeps me tense, feeling like any day could be my last at work. It tries to convince me that I’m undeserving of everything I’ve achieved in my life, as if it had all been pure luck.

Is there anything rational behind this feeling? No. And that’s the issue.

This way of feeling and perceiving myself comes from a lifetime of intense self-pressure and external expectations, learned patterns, awareness of my limitations, and a general insecurity that I still struggle to leave behind.

Who am I to have the job I have? There are people who are better than me.
Who am I to speak confidently about design? I don’t know the most.

I ask myself these questions constantly, and unfortunately, this is very common in the design industry. We are constantly exposed to other people’s work. Every few minutes there is a new tool or framework, and staying up to date becomes increasingly difficult. All of this makes it easy to doubt our abilities.

Impostor syndrome vs. a real skills gap

First and foremost, it’s essential to identify and distinguish between genuine areas for improvement and the irrational fear of being an impostor. When you catch yourself holding back, pause for a moment and ask yourself whether what you’re telling yourself is true, or if it’s insecurity trying to sabotage your growth.

Understanding where it comes from

As with everything in life, understanding something helps you work through it. One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that writing about and learning about the things that limit me helps me grow, and this is no exception. So today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned so far.

External validation

As designers, our work depends heavily on external validation. We work for clients and real users, and our projects pass through the eyes of colleagues and managers. Beyond our own self-evaluation, our work will inevitably be seen and judged externally. This adds extra pressure that can weigh heavily. Even when we try to be objective, there is always a degree of subjectivity involved.

Relying solely on external validation to feel competent and deserving of our role can worsen impostor syndrome, as it is not sustainable. There will be moments when our work receives more criticism, and it’s important to see those moments as opportunities for improvement. Making mistakes is human.

Comparison

Exposure to other people’s achievements is constant. It’s easy to fall into comparison, but it’s crucial to shift that mindset and begin seeing those around us as sources of inspiration. Living in constant comparison leads to burnout and creates feelings of inadequacy, as we perceive our work as inferior to others’ successes and craft.

Fear of failure

Imagine this scenario: you see a job post, read the role description, and think there’s no way you are good enough. So instead of trying, you choose not to take the risk because you don’t feel capable. Often, this reaction is driven by fear of rejection or failure. Calculated risk is one of the strongest drivers of growth.

Productivity guilt

This is something I relate to deeply. For me, it comes from feeling that my free time also needs to be productive. Filling my schedule with tasks, whether necessary or invented, just to feel like I am doing something only increases stress and negatively impacts productivity. Whether through procrastination or overloading myself, it often stems from the belief that I need to justify my place by doing excessive extra work.

Understanding the reasons is important, but what truly matters is learning how to work with this feeling and even finding ways to use it to our advantage.

How I work with it and use it to my advantage

As mentioned before, there’s nothing pleasant about feeling insecure about my abilities. But when I look at it through a different lens, I can find ways to use that feeling constructively. I don’t know if it’s possible to eliminate it entirely, but I can build confidence while learning how to manage it.

I track my wins and work on self-criticism

As product designers, and designers in general, self-criticism can be intense. Our work often revolves around identifying areas for improvement, which makes it easy to believe that what we do is never quite good enough. Instead of using self-criticism destructively, I try to turn it into something supportive.

I keep track of the things I did well. Focusing solely on mistakes clouds judgment. Being aware of what worked in my projects helps me build confidence in what I do and in what I bring to the table. It’s about giving myself credit.

I embrace not knowing

I’ve learned that not knowing something is an opportunity to grow. When I notice gaps in my skills, I intentionally work on improving them. This might be through practice, research, or learning from the people I work with every day. I ask about their processes, how they approach problems, and I take notes on what I learn.

I write down areas for improvement and opportunities as soon as I identify them. Whether they come from projects or workflows, I keep a record of what I want to improve and evaluate how I can develop those skills.

I talk about it

Putting these thoughts into words helps me understand myself better. Sharing experiences with others reminds me that I’m not alone and helps normalize the emotions associated with impostor syndrome. I’ve learned how important it is to have a support network, whether that’s coworkers, mentors, or friends.

Keeping it to myself affects my mental health. Feeling insufficient doesn’t benefit me or my work, so it’s my responsibility to share it and allow myself to be vulnerable in order to work through it.

Impostor syndrome is proof that, many times, we are our own biggest limitation. That feeling of deceiving our colleagues is nothing more than deceiving ourselves. Don’t let your mind mislead you. You deserve the place you are in.