via GeekFeminism:
It seems like a certain amount of “irrational” self-confidence is necessary for success in geeky fields. While you’re failing repeatedly, you have to keep believing you can do it and you’re smart enough to figure it out. Have you experienced this? What do you do about it?
- Remember you’re not alone
Imposter syndrome refers to the fact that many people feel like they’re not good enough to be doing what they’re doing. They feel like they’re impostors who don’t belong and eventually someone will notice and kick them out of the field.
Dunning-Kruger effect refers to a very strange cognitive bias: People who are vaguely incompetent will over-rate their abilities, and those who are highly competent will under-rate theirs.Distilled for re-re-blogging, do click through to the full post.
I still remember describing “feeling like a fraud” to my mom when I was eleven (or so). I’m quite lucky that, as a teacher of gifted children, she looked at me and said, “That’s imposter syndrome! Only stupid people think they’re so great that they never question their ability!” A bit ham handed, perhaps, but that thought has helped me overcome many an omg-I-don’t-belong-here kind of thought.
Holy shit. There is a name for this? I sometimes think if I ever when to see a psychologist his/her pupils would turn into dollar bill signs as I explained everything.
