The Myth of Impostor Syndrome: Stop Lying to Yourself

Let’s get one thing straight: most of you whining about “impostor syndrome” don’t actually have impostor syndrome. Sure, the real thing exists—a genuine psychological phenomenon—but that’s not what 99% of the internet is talking about.

What we’re actually dealing with here is a collective refusal to face reality. You feel like you don’t know what you’re doing at your job? That’s not a syndrome—that’s just the cold, hard truth. Most people are bad at their jobs. They bumble through tasks, barely scrape by, and then slap a mental health label on their incompetence to make it sound like some external force is holding them back.

It’s not. You’re bad at your job because you lack the skills, knowledge, or discipline to do it well. That nagging voice in your head telling you you’re screwing up? That’s not some sinister brain chemistry sabotaging your confidence—that’s reality tapping you on the shoulder. Listen to it.

Here’s the brutal part: pretending your failures are just a “confidence issue” is a cop-out. If you think the problem is in your head and not in your actions, you’ll never fix it. Stop dodging accountability. If you suck, then admit it—and do something about it. Learn. Practice. Get better.

Your so-called “impostor syndrome” isn’t a diagnosis. It’s your conscience, screaming at you to pay attention. The sooner you embrace that, the sooner you can grow. Because you can get better. You can learn. You can succeed. But only if you stop lying to yourself.