Impostor Syndrome Is Real (And Still Shows Up Sometimes)

Impostor syndrome is real.

Not was. Not used to be.
Still is.

I’ve dealt with it for most of my tech career—from my time as an intern, to my first dev job, all the way through promotions and leadership roles.

And even now, with over a decade in the industry, I still have moments where I wonder:

“Am I really the one who should be leading this?”
“Why would anyone care what I think?”
“What if this is the day they find out I have no idea what I’m doing?”

The difference now?
I’ve learned that knowing everything isn’t the goal—knowing you’ll figure it out is.

🧠 Confidence Isn’t Always Loud

Impostor syndrome is sneaky. It doesn’t always show up as panic. Sometimes it shows up as:

Holding back your opinion in a meeting

Over-preparing for something simple

Talking yourself out of sharing an idea

Not applying for a role you’re already qualified for

Confidence isn’t “I know everything.”
Confidence is “I’ve figured stuff out before, and I’ll do it again.”

💬 I Didn’t Post on LinkedIn for Years

I used to wonder:
“Who the hell cares what I have to say?”

Then I realized:
If even one post helps someone, makes someone feel seen, or just gets a laugh from a developer who needed it—that’s enough.

I still feel weird sharing sometimes.
I still doubt whether anyone is reading.
But I post anyway. Because someone out there might need to hear it.

👊 TL;DR

You don’t have to be 100% confident to start.
You don’t have to wait until the self-doubt disappears.
You just have to move forward with it, not let it stop you.

You got this.
Now go and get shit done.

✊ mullins.io
Imperfect thoughts from someone still figuring it out—but showing up anyway.