Chapter 35. The Sabotage List
Imposter syndrome. It’s the feeling that pure happenstance or just dumb luck is the reason you’re in this current role. It’s a sense you don’t belong, you aren’t good enough, and—real soon now—everyone will see you for who you really are.
You might have felt this before; I’m sure many of your peers feel it now. When the topic comes up among friends and coworkers, when someone asks, “How many of you have felt imposter syndrome?” I’m surprised how many confident, talented, and hardworking humans raise their hands instantly.
Where does it come from? Why does it exist in talented and experienced humans?
I don’t know. I’m not a psychologist. Just another human. Trying to figure it out. A little bit at a time.
It’s one of the items on a terrifyingly long list of irrational human behaviors that I don’t understand. Still, where I’ve had success is giving the behavior a name so I can see it.
The Untitled List
There’s a list on the last page of my current personal notebook. It has no title. Each time I finish a notebook, I dutifully translate the current version of this list from old to new notebooks.
This untitled list is my Sabotage List. It’s a list of important projects I’m currently not doing…for reasons. I’ll explain some of the reasons as best I can shortly, but the majority of the hard work is honestly building and maintaining this list.
Important projects I’m not doing. Essential projects. Doesn’t make sense, right? Well, become comfortable with irrationality ...
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