Ask HN: Do you ever feel inadequate?

[overclock351]

I am a postgrad student that works in a local compsci consultant company. Throughout my academic and brief work career i've met plenty of brilliant people, people that where elastic with their mentality, mathematicians that could prove anything they wanted to, coders that had a keen mind for problem solving... and then there is me, i have a few skills in regards of programming, i can sort of compose some music, i can structure a few things in a mathematical proof but... i feel quite inept. I know that those things don't define me as who i am but... well... i feel like they are necessary in my career path (except for the music production, that is for me :D) Does that also happen to you people?

[gcheong]

Sure, but you need to leverage those people to level yourself up. For example, if you're facing a coding problem that seems intractable, ask one of those coders how they might approach the problem or if the solution you're thinking about is reasonable. More generally, ask them for advice on how to become better. People generally are keen to help those who are making an effort to get better.

[DamonHD]

Frequently, in spite of the fact that I am able to pay (again!) for my PhD studies from money I have saved (I have kinda retired), I have my name on patents, the product I invented is on the the market and AFAIK selling well for the new owners, my teenage kids are doing well, etc, etc. There can always be reasons to feel down and inadequate, and sometimes they are wrong...

[brianjking]

Yes, welcome to imposter syndrome.

[stop50]

its similar for me when i work at a new workplace.