How I overcame my imposter syndrome as a new designer

Five points that helped me conquer my feelings of self-doubt

Recently, MongoDB held a design meetup that focused on imposter syndrome and, more importantly, how we deal with it as designers. I was asked to speak on behalf of my own experience and share advice for those who may also be in this headspace.

Personally, I suffered massively from these feelings of self-doubt as I was just starting out in product design two years ago. While I can’t say it completely no longer affects me, I can say with confidence that it doesn’t bother me in the same magnitude nor as frequently as it used to. I hope the advice that I’ll be sharing helps those of you that are trying to overcome it yourselves.

Illustration by Sidecar

#1. Everyone starts off as a beginner. Don’t compare your timeline to someone else’s.

Tying it back into the definition, imposter syndrome is simply another term for navigating your career as a beginner. It’s a psychological phenomenon that arises from an incorrect assessment of ones’ abilities compared to peers. The panic that comes from the feeling of not knowing enough, and the fear that others will find out if you don’t know.