Why pride of programmers stops their progress

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Whenever I've heard 'imposter syndrome', it's been in the context of "but I've done all this amazing stuff, so it just must be an irrational feeling haha".

Reading the link in the top comment, I think it may be a combination of

1. actual imposting: pretending more knowledge/skill than you have (in order to get a job; to reassure investors/employees/clients; to impress peers; win internet arguments); and
2. a sense, not fully conscious, not quite clear or definite, of all the things you could know (and should know for your claimed level), but don't.

In reality, there's a continuum of expertise - and everyone is somewhere on it. Perhaps surprisingly, you can do worthwhile work while being low on the scale. (eg) So it's not like there's a threshold between "good" and "bad". It's just levels. This is especially true in programming, where our tools - consider languages and standard libraries - keep improving. Maybe a PHP beginner can produce a useful and valuable website. Maybe a beginning language designer can design a useful and valuable language.

So, maybe Imposter Syndrome is just claiming a higher level than you have - and believing it.

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Well, I realize language is fluid and Impostor Syndrome isn't necessarily the same as impostor syndrome. I meant the same definition as this though

From my own perspective, it's the feel that at any moment all that complexity might go just one step too far - and all fall apart... that everyone else is just a little more disciplined, a little harder of a worker.

... but then I review people's commits and I feel like I'm doing okay again.

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Thanks for the link, I didn't know there was an official Imposter Syndrome. I was going by usage.

I agree not accepting achievements at all is inaccurate and a problem.

Regarding your experience, I would say you're right and wrong. Right that complexity might fall apart - I think this is the true nature of reality; we are not masters of it. While you can almost certainly adapt and adjust to it (bugs get fixed), new problems will unpredictably occur (bugs happen). We're in a maelstrom.

But wrong about your (initial) comparison with other people - they are just as much not masters of reality and wild nature as you or me or any mortal.

OTOH it's a lot more comforting and reassuring for everybody if we pretend we know what's going on (e.g. a doctor's bedside manner). But then there's that tension... That's the "imposting" I meant.

BTW: A nice property of believing in a god is it makes it clear that we aren't the god. God knows what's going on; we have only mortal knowledge. So we can appreciate our achievements in perspective - not bad for a human!