Imposter Syndrome: Feeling Like a Fraud
Everyone is faking it. The feeling that you don't belong, that you are lucky rather than talented, is a universal human experience.
The Secret Fear
You got the job, but you're terrified they'll find out you don't know what you're doing. You think, "I just fooled them. I just got lucky." This is Imposter Syndrome. High achievers are paradoxically most prone to it because they are smart enough to know how much they don't know (remember Dunning-Kruger?).
Pluralistic Ignorance
The problem is Pluralistic Ignorance. You know your own internal doubts, but you only see others' external confidence. You compare your "blooper reel" to everyone else's "highlight reel."
You Are Not Alone
Maya Angelou wrote 11 books and won every award, yet she said: "Uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody." If Maya Angelou felt like a fraud, maybe your feelings aren't facts. The only way to beat it is to talk about it. Once you realize everyone is winging it, the fear loses its grip.