You don't have Imposter Syndrome (as a beginner)
Paul Onteri
Posted on January 1, 2022
Get the original version of this article here: https://paulonteri.com/blog/beginners-syndrome
During my time as a Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) Lead, a lot of my fellow students who were just starting out with various tech related concepts often approached me with various problems. A lot of them were in the form of "I just got started with technology $x$. How do I get started working on / completing projects or applying for jobs? I feel like I still suck at it, and have imposter syndrome."
How can an absolute beginner be a fake / an imposter? Imposter syndrome had become a very common term, especially on Twitter, that everyone thought the difficulties they encountered when starting out were signs of imposter syndrome. It's very likely people starting out might have beginner syndrome instead.
Why you might not have imposter syndrome as a beginner. Let’s talk about it.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter Syndrome is the overwhelming feeling that you don't deserve your success and accomplishments. You become convinced that you're not as intelligent, creative or talented as you may seem or people may see you to be. And you suspect that your achievements are down to luck, good timing, or just being "in the right place at the right time." One of your biggest fears is that one day you'll be exposed as a fraud.
You may feel that you need to work harder because of your perceived inadequacies, to avoid being "unmasked." This may even lead to further success and recognition – and feeling like an even bigger fraud.
Beginner Syndrome
Learning to do anything worthwhile when you’re just starting out is hard. Freaking out about not knowing anything is totally normal, and every budding beginner feels overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of all that they don’t know. This is not Imposter Syndrome, this is Reality.
Those feelings of inadequacy are just “beginner’s fear.” Trying something new can induce so much anxiety that it causes many to quit something they may have dreamed of starting for years. Not knowing how/where to start, how to catch up to the experts, things feeling very difficult, e.t.c - All this is normal for a beginner.
Impossible for beginners to have Imposter Syndrome
An actual imposter’s sole goal is to be what they’re not. They hide behind a mask, and they base their strategy on deceit and dishonesty. In addition, experiencing imposter syndrome means you have accomplished something in the specific area you are experiencing it in. Most of us feel like we’re imposters, but we’re just beginners, we’re just starting out.
Imposter syndrome is more of “somebody who doesn’t feel like they know what they are expected to know” and beginner syndrome is “not knowing much and not being expected by others to know much”, technically impossible to be an imposter.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect. Credits: expertprogrammanagement.com
Imposter syndrome usually shows up in the middle, and beginner syndrome in the complete beginning of The Dunning-Kruger effect chart. The chart explains how the less someone knows about the topic, the more confident (and sometimes arrogant) they are about their understanding of it (this comes right after beginner’s syndrome). Imposter syndrome describes the opposite: it manifests when people who are experts on a topic do not feel confident in their understanding and show modesty. While it is common for us to experience such feelings, they’re signs that we are often unable to accurately assess our own competence. Note that in the beginning, both confidence and competence are very low. This is what encompasses beginner’s syndrome.
Nobody tells this to people who are beginners
Nobody tells this to people who are beginners. I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.
~ Ira Glass
Conclusion
All beginners should realise that there is a tonne of stuff they don't know, their confidence is low and this is not a sign of imposter syndrome.
However, they are also not expected to know that much and will typically not be punished for not knowing.
The easiest way to deal with the above problems is to learn, practice, be dedicated and work hard enough to overcome the obstacles (that almost all beginners do encounter).
More reading
Posted on January 1, 2022
Join Our Newsletter. No Spam, Only the good stuff.
Sign up to receive the latest update from our blog.