Stop Calling It Imposter Syndrome. You're Just Learning.

Somewhere along the way, we decided that feeling uncertain about your abilities was a syndrome. A condition. Something to diagnose and overcome.

I think we've got it backwards.

The overused label

Every time someone steps into a new role, takes on a bigger challenge, or finds themselves surrounded by people who seem to know more, we call it imposter syndrome.

New job? Imposter syndrome.

Speaking at a conference? Imposter syndrome.

Leading a team for the first time? Definitely imposter syndrome.

But here's the thing: sometimes you feel out of your depth because you are out of your depth. That's not a syndrome. That's just... learning.

What imposter syndrome actually is

Real imposter syndrome is persistent. It's when you've been doing something for years, you're objectively good at it, and you still believe you're a fraud who's about to be found out.

That's worth addressing. That's a pattern of thinking that holds people back.

But feeling nervous in your first board meeting? Feeling like everyone else knows more in a room full of specialists? That's not imposter syndrome. That's called being new.

Why the distinction matters

When we label every moment of uncertainty as imposter syndrome, we do two things:

1. We pathologise normal growth

Learning is uncomfortable. Stepping into new territory is supposed to feel uncertain. If you're never feeling out of your depth, you're probably not stretching yourself.

Calling it a syndrome makes it sound like something's wrong with you. Nothing's wrong. You're just growing.

2. We reach for the wrong solutions

The advice for imposter syndrome is usually about mindset shifts. Reminding yourself of your achievements, challenging negative self-talk, building confidence.

But if you're actually just new at something, you don't need a mindset shift. You need reps. You need practice. You need time.

The solution isn't to convince yourself you already know enough. It's to accept that you don't, and get on with learning.

A more useful frame

Next time you feel uncertain, ask yourself:

Am I actually new at this?

If yes, congratulations. You're learning. The discomfort is temporary. Keep going.

Have I been doing this for years and still feel like a fraud?

That's different. That's worth unpacking. Maybe with a coach, a mentor, or a good therapist.

Most of the time, it's the first one.

The comfort of competence

Here's something nobody tells you: that feeling of ease and confidence you're chasing? It comes after the awkward phase. Not instead of it.

Every expert was once a beginner who felt like they didn't belong. The difference is they stuck around long enough for the feeling to pass.

I've felt out of my depth more times than I can count. First engineering role. First leadership role. First time managing managers. First time consulting on AI after years of mobile engineering.

Every time, there was a voice saying "you don't know what you're doing." And every time, it was partly right. I didn't fully know what I was doing. Yet.

The dangerous flip side

There's an opposite problem that doesn't get talked about enough: people who never feel like imposters when they probably should.

We've all met them. Confident beyond their competence. Happy to weigh in on things they don't understand. Never doubting, always certain.

A little self-doubt isn't weakness. It's self-awareness. It keeps you learning, keeps you humble, keeps you asking questions.

I'd rather work with someone who sometimes wonders if they're good enough than someone who never questions themselves at all.

Wrapping up

Feel uncertain about something new? Good. That's what growth feels like.

Feel uncertain about something you've been doing for a decade? That might be worth looking at.

But let's stop calling every moment of discomfort a syndrome. Sometimes you're not an imposter. You're just a beginner. And that's exactly where you're supposed to be.