Developers are frauds.
At least that's how it feels. Many developers feel it. The inadequacy, the feelings of failure. That somehow, you're not as talented as those around you.
The feeling that you're an impostor.
Over and over we hear from talented developers who aren't able to shake the feeling that they're frauds. Talentless hacks who simply can't measure up. Almost as if it's a dirty secret they're doing their best to cover up.
"Don't let 'them' figure out you don't deserve to be here."
The Burden of "You Don't Deserve It"
It's a heavy load most of us carry. The fear, doubt and despair that drives you to dot your i's and cross your t's. Most of us struggling with impostor syndrome carry that burden most of our lives.
Pundits tell us that impostor syndrome is a sign of greatness.
But it feels like a lie.
Some of us swallow that lie, we're able to function, to continue on in our careers. Recent studies suggest 70 percent of us have impostor syndrome. We're all slowly being crushed by the weight of it all.
Here's the thing. Impostor syndrome isn't automatically a sign of greatness. It's a sign of something deeper.
Impostor Syndrome Isn't a Sign of Greatness
It's a sign of malnutrition.
It's a sign your needs — creative, intellectual, psychological — aren't being met.
How do I know?
Anyone who's truly achieved mastery in any subject area knows there are gaps in their knowledge. They know enough to see where they are and how far they have to go.
They're well fed — creatively, intellectually, psychologically.
They analyze these gaps, testing them, exploring them. They seek to understand the limits placed on them. They learn from those around them, drawing on the skill of others to learn and grow.
Here's the part that's frustrating.
This is a skill most developers aren't taught. That's unfortunate because these are the skills they need to overcome impostor syndrome.
Their Career is Frustrating Because They Don't Have a System
Tools like Stack Overflow and Codepen.io are helpful tools, but they're also a double-edged sword. Most of us, instead of absorbing the tips these sites share, simply copy and paste.
Sometimes it's necessary.
Sometimes you're in a situation where you have to do what you can to get a project done.
But impostor syndrome is still there.
Can you see it?
- A Nissan developer was busted for copying and pasting code from Stack Overflow.
- A Quora user asks if they're a bad programmer because they search through Stack Overflow instead of figuring out problems on their own (hint: this makes him a good programmer).
- Developers asking if it's bad that they copy and paste other people's code.
These people haven't done anything wrong.
The vast majority of developers work hard, they're supportive of the community and they're loyal.
But they don't have a system.
Have You Ever Had Developer's Block?
It goes like this. You decide you want to build something. You sit down, fire up your IDE and then... nothing. You sit there and you can't concentrate.
You're trying but nothing's coming.
Sound familiar?
Read articles on developer's block and they'll share tips like: Push it out of the way, scratch an itch or just get it working. Those ideas can work but often times they're hit or miss.
They don't address the source of the problem.
Greatness, whether it's beautiful code or a practical piece of code, isn't innate. Greatness comes from structure.
A-list movie stars, public speakers, soldiers, athletes, you name it. Their success is engineered.
What does that have to do with developers and impostor syndrome?
All-Stars Follow a System
Here's the interesting thing about people performing at the highest levels. They don't rely on what they think they can do, how they feel or what others say about them.
They think about the outcome they want, then working backwards, they create a system that helps them get there.
It's the system that's so special.
Continue reading %How to Become a Better Developer by Coding Less%
by Andrew McDermott via SitePoint
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