As a person who’s been programming for over a decade, I can testify about my early feelings of Imposter Syndrome — that persistent feeling that you’re not good enough despite evidence proving otherwise. When I first started learning how to code, I thought it would be easy. Then I realized how much I would have to learn, and then it felt like an impossible task. But I made a decision that I would learn how to code. I made it my mission to take it day by day, putting in the hours and studying. I figured if others could do it, so could I.
I started off with HTML which wasn’t that difficult, but as I progressed, I often found it hard to retain everything I was learning. And on top of that, putting it all together was even harder. Developing the skill to Think like a Programmer didn’t come naturally. Maybe you’ve had that feeling of “Ok, I took this course or read this book, I finished the example projects, but now how do I make something of my own?”. That feeling haunted me for a while.
I took course after course, I purchased all the books I could find. I went through the documentation pages and kept trying to figure it all out. After a while, it started to click. I was getting a better grasp of how things should work. It wasn’t easy, but it was getting easier.
Here’s a Motivational Video I made about Imposter Syndrome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qprS6-Z31FM
I Doubted Myself
Then more thoughts were creeping into my head. I was saying to myself “I’m starting to get a grasp of this code stuff, but I don’t know, what I don’t know.” and that was a problem. It’s a problem that a lot of self taught programmers run into. Gaps in knowledge that can haunt us even if we don’t know it. If there’s a major gap in our knowledge, then that can cause problems that we just can’t see.
I knew there were gaps I had to try and find. Along the way, I kept making the same mistakes new programmers make — trying to learn everything at once instead of going deep on one thing. I went down the rabbit hole of becoming a Full Stack Web Developer and it prolonged my process and timeline. I felt I needed to know the ins and outs of every aspect of web design and development. For me that meant I needed to be well versed in various languages:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- jQuery
- Bootstrap
- PHP
- MySQL
- Linux
- WordPress
- and all my Web development tools.
This was my Mount Everest and I was training without a guide, without a coach, literally just going at it alone.
I felt the crushing feeling of Imposter Syndrome and it took a long time to realize that it’s ok not to be a master in every language and framework in my stack. It’s unlikely that anyone can master so much unless they spent 20 years without ever trying to actually make a dollar or have a life.
WordPress Became my Bread and Butter
My path led me to WordPress. Its market share kept growing and I figured that if I was going to find success as a freelance developer, I needed a solid grasp of how WordPress functions — how themes work, how to create custom themes for clients, and how to configure the most popular plugins. It was no small undertaking, and it often felt overwhelming.
Let’s Talk about Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome — a phenomenon first identified by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978 — is that nagging feeling that you don’t actually deserve the success you’ve earned. You’ve put in the work, you’ve built things that function, people are paying you for your skills — and yet a voice in the back of your head keeps saying “you got lucky” or “they just haven’t figured out you’re faking it yet.” It’s irrational, but knowing that doesn’t make it go away.
This is particularly true when a programmer is self taught and all of a sudden they enter a position where they’re working with other programmers who have more experience than they do and maybe even got a degree in Computer Science from a big name university.
Then there’s the issue of programmers who have the mindset that their programming language is better than yours, or the framework they use is superior. The argument about which is the best programming language has been around since the early days of programming.
Other Causes of Imposter Syndrome
- Perfectionism — We all wish we could write perfect code on the very first try. But we don’t, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone has ever written perfect code on complex projects, especially on the first try. Even the brightest programmers have had to refactor their code.
- Fear of Failure — This stems from our attempts to write perfect code. “If I don’t do this perfectly, I’ll get fired or the client will go elsewhere.” That feeling can dominate your thoughts and make it virtually impossible to write quality code.
- Working in High Pressure Environments — We live in a microwave society — we want things fast, but it’s gotta be done right. The “Move Fast and Break Things” mentality can trigger the feeling of being an imposter when you’re still learning the ropes.
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome might not seem easy, but one thing I learned is that it’s important to reframe how you perceive your skills. I’m not saying you should be overly confident to the point where you believe you’re capable of things you’re not really ready for.
What I am saying is that learning how to program is a life long journey. If you’ve put in the time, if you’ve worked on multiple projects and are getting good results, if you’re not completely lost when talking with people in your field — then you’re not an Imposter.
Here are some tips on overcoming it:
- Acknowledge your feelings — Don’t deny them. Understand where they’re coming from and what’s causing them.
- Realize that no one is perfect — The overwhelming majority of people have felt like an imposter at some point. Perfect code doesn’t exist.
- Recognize your accomplishments — Look back on projects you’ve completed, solutions you’ve created, contributions you’ve made. Take a look at how far you’ve come.
- Talk to other programmers — Others have most likely felt the same way. Getting advice from them can be helpful — and they might still be feeling the same way, so the two of you can work through it together.
I’ve felt like an imposter even though I’ve spent years learning various programming languages. When I started creating YouTube Videos, oh man I really started to feel like an Imposter. Taking a look back at some of my earliest videos, honestly, I wasn’t ready, but I still pushed through the gut wrenching feeling that I always felt when hitting the record button.
Even today, after uploading over 400 videos on my YouTube channel and creating tutorials for over 7 years, I still get that feeling in my stomach. So the feeling might never really go away — nor should it. Having a little fear can be useful. It forces you to reflect on your process, your skills, your gaps, and what needs to be fine tuned.
We are all a work in progress. We are always in beta mode even if we push our projects to production. There’s always more that we can learn, especially when the programming world seems to change on a dime and often without notice. If you need a reminder of that, check out my post on never stopping programming.
One of my favorite videos that I ever uploaded talks about the topic of the Talented Coder. Check it out and I think you might find it useful.
Imposter Syndrome FAQ
Is imposter syndrome normal for self-taught developers?
Extremely normal. Self-taught developers lack the external validation that comes with a degree, so the “am I really qualified?” question hits harder. But being self-taught also means you learned by doing — you built things, solved real problems, and figured things out on your own. That’s a strength, not a weakness.
Does imposter syndrome ever go away completely?
In my experience, no — and that’s not entirely a bad thing. After over a decade of coding and 400+ YouTube tutorials, I still feel it. The difference is I’ve learned to recognize it for what it is: a signal to reflect, not a signal to quit. It keeps me honest about my gaps without paralyzing me.
How do you tell the difference between imposter syndrome and actual skill gaps?
Imposter syndrome makes you doubt skills you demonstrably have. Skill gaps are specific — you can name what you don’t know. If you can ship working code, debug problems, and hold your own in technical conversations, that’s imposter syndrome talking. If there’s a specific technology you consistently avoid, that’s a gap worth addressing.