Imposter Syndrome

[Richey Edwards]

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

[Richey Edwards]

Sorry for the post, but didn't know who else to share this with.

[GordonS]

45 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

I'm 49 years old. One of the big learning points of my life so far has been that those with imposter syndrome almost always shouldn't have it, and those without it usually should.

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

I suspect this is the hamster.

1 hour ago, Richey Edwards said:

Sorry for the post, but didn't know who else to share this with.

But, on a more serious note…

20 minutes ago, GordonS said:

I'm 49 years old. One of the big learning points of my life so far has been that those with imposter syndrome almost always shouldn't have it, and those without it usually should.

…GordonS is right on. People in service roles often worry about their qualifications, skills, abilities, etc. The ones that don’t ever wonder tend to be psychopathic, narcissist incompetents. It’s human nature to be concerned about one’s role, especially when it’s so important to the people being treated. While passing qualifications generally indicate you DO have the abilities, qualifications can’t teach some of the necessary things…things your other posts on your trip to this role show you have in spades. Take a deep breath and just do the job you know you can do!

[AUcal]

4 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

I still feel like this. I think its normal and tbh i think it is a good thing to have a little. From when I was at University, to job interviews in my industry, to day to day at work - I felt huge imposter syndrome.

The important thing is that I definitely feel it decreases. After a while you realise you've been doing what you do for a while and you're good at it - and you think, why was I worried? I'm fine. If you're committed to what you're doing, and you make yourself someone that is decent to work with - it all goes fine and you realise that the feeling of belonging increases.

From having read some of your posts on threads about your choice of course and your reasons etc, I have no doubt that you are in a very good position to commit to, and work in, the field that you are currently studying. I wouldn't worry too much.

Edited April 10 by AUcal

[Wacky]

You wouldn’t get the grades and qualifications if you weren’t good enough.
A wise man once told me “the more you carry the job out the less you’ll have that doubtful apprentice syndrome, which will eventually lead to the time served craftsman/person you’ll inevitably become”

Trust yourself and your abilities 

[Richey Edwards]

Thank you all for the helpful replies. I do feel better now than I did earlier. I was feeling overwhelmed by the fact that a lot more is expected of me during my current placement than previously because it is my final one. I will be put in charge of the ward at some point and a big part of me was dreading that in case I made an arse of it.

I know for a fact that the university would not have allowed me to get this far if I wasn't capable, because it would reflect very badly on them if they sent an incompetent student to be responsible for the care of vulnerable people. However, an irrational part of my brain sometimed thinks I've fooled them into thinking I'm capable. 

 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

I think most of us high flying well respected super intelligent handsome types, like you and I Richey, suffer from Imposter Syndrome.

Slowly, you'll realise that as Gordon as alluded to above, those who don't, tend to be arseholes with ideas way above their ability. 

You're doing fine (ignore the graffiti on the bog wall that the hamster has been writing).

[carpetmonster]

It's the Bukowski thing innit - 'the problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.'

Or I think it was Bukowski. Maybe Bukkake. Who knows.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

1 hour ago, carpetmonster said:

 

Or I think it was Bukowski. Maybe Bukkake. Who knows.

Ah you’ve been left with egg on yer face for not knowing that.
 

Well, I hope it’s egg.

[Doctor Manhattan]

3 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

Ah you’ve been left with egg on yer face for not knowing that.
 

Well, I hope it’s egg.

[BFTD]

5 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

We're back to Dunning-Kruger again. It reads as though you have an idea of how little you know in comparison to the breadth of your field, and you're worried about it - this is an excellent start for someone at the beginning of a new career. You'll pick it up over the years ahead and maybe end up being a genuine expert. You'll also meet a lot of arseholes who see the opposite; they're aware that they have a little expertise and assume they've nothing more to learn. The trick is to protect yourself for when their arrogance causes them to f**k up (keep records, put everything in writing, etc), as they always look around for someone else to blame.

I'm going through similar - halfway through a programming degree and it feels like I know nothing, especially because I'm pretty slow in comparison to my younger compatriots. The genuine experts I know have mentioned that it's good that I'm aware of what a complex field this is, and that I should be looking at how much more I know now than I did before I started. That's about the only thing that's kept me going TBH, as I've never felt so cack-handed.

Don't be afraid to look stupid. Ask questions, take opportunities for new knowledge when they appear, crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and enjoy the lamentations of their hamsters (until they see you're a better pet owner).

[Sergeant Wilson]

On 10/04/2024 at 12:06, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

Oh don't worry about it. I've been waiting for the tap on the shoulder for 40 odd years, one or two more and I'll have got away with it.

Edited April 11 by Sergeant Wilson

[Jacksgranda]

25 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Oh don't worry about it. I've been waiting for the tap on the shoulder for 40 odd years, one of two more and I'll have got away with it.

I'm with the sarge, although I'm now 4 years past the point of waiting for the tap on the shoulder.

Having said that I was always learning bits and pieces about my job, I usually had the good sense not to say out loud "I never knew that", though.

Once you get to a certain age, mid to late 30s, people assume you know what you're doing and let you get on with it.

[Sortmeout]

6 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

Got this exact same feeling at work right now even though I’ve done the same job for a while and worked for my company for a long long time.

[Sortmeout]

2 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

Thank you all for the helpful replies. I do feel better now than I did earlier. I was feeling overwhelmed by the fact that a lot more is expected of me during my current placement than previously because it is my final one. I will be put in charge of the ward at some point and a big part of me was dreading that in case I made an arse of it.

I know for a fact that the university would not have allowed me to get this far if I wasn't capable, because it would reflect very badly on them if they sent an incompetent student to be responsible for the care of vulnerable people. However, an irrational part of my brain sometimed thinks I've fooled them into thinking I'm capable. 

 

Sometimes (in fact most of the time) just getting it out and talking about it immediately helps to lift it.

Keeping talking mate. 

[BFTD]

It's always worth bearing in mind that, even if you're genuinely out of your depth in a job, we all know someone higher up in the food chain who's totally useless and only surviving because they're related to/mates with the boss, and/or very good at dodging the blame for failures. I'd be amazed if anyone reading this thread can't think of someone at their work who doesn't fit that criteria.

Maybe we should all be focusing less on our knowledge and more on sucking up to the CEO/developing psychopathy.

[Richey Edwards]

36 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Having said that I was always learning bits and pieces about my job, I usually had the good sense not to say out loud "I never knew that", though.

Everyday is a school day. Nursing is big on what the Nursing and Midwifery Council (the governing body) call Continuous Professional Development which is career-long learning. You need to evidence CPD as part of the re-registration process to continue practicing.

I've lost count of the amount of things - treatments, procedures, guidelines etc that I've heard nurses/doctors/psychologists mention that I'd not a clue about and had to look up. Such moments I have begun to think of as learning opportunities rather than thinking "oh f**k I really do know f**k all".

23 minutes ago, Sortmeout said:

Sometimes (in fact most of the time) just getting it out and talking about it immediately helps to lift it.

Keeping talking mate. 

Yeah I find talking about it helpful as well. A lot of the time it helps me to realise how irrational I am being. 

At least worrying about whether I'm actually any good at what I'm doing shows that I care about what I do, and the effect that it has on the people I'm looking after.

[Venti]

7 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I feel like a fraud and it is only a matter of time before I am found out.

This might sound silly and irrational as I have got to nearly the end of university. However, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not actually good enough. 

Had the same anxiety when I sat the graded unit at the end of culinary college.

You don't get that far by not being worthy. Just have self belief mate.

[DA Baracus]

Used to feel that way about my job but now I'm know I'm pretty good at it.

However, I still feel that way about being an adult and life in general. I see folk talking about moving house, getting work done on their car, re-doing a kitchen or bathroom, kids going to school, having a garden, owning a home, being a parent, having a partner, having savings, having a pension and loads of other things and simply can't relate at all.

Edited April 10 by DA Baracus