Has anyone else ever felt this way?

[Robbed]

The other day, I got a used Nikon film scanner on craigslist to scan some slides of mine. When I researched the scanner, the reviews were generally quite favorable (Nikon film scanners are generally regarded as some of the best scanners short of drum scanners). But there were quite a few people who had problems with the software, as well as just getting the scanner set up. When I set the thing up, all went well. However, I just could not help but feel like this happened because I did something wrong, and it just worked by luck. In other words, if I actually KNEW what I was doing, then I would have had at least some problems that I would have to work out. Of course, this is not the first time this sort of thing has happened to me. This has happened SO many times in the past with other stuff like digital cameras, engine swaps in cars, and courses in college. I sometimes feel like my knowledge is just so weak, overly simple, unsophisticated, and child-like. And that if I succeed at getting something done, it just wasn't real. After all, those other students in college courses just seemed SO much smarter than I am.

I actually asked my brother if this has ever happened to him. He said that maybe it has happened on an occasion or two. But he says that he actually has more problems with NOT being able to get something done, while others succeed. I know that this all must sound somewhat strange. But at least when I experience failure, it feels appropriate. Am I the only one who feels this way SO much of the time?

[joey9]

Sounds like Impostor syndrome. Have a read of this and there's some links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_Syndrome

I get it, mostly to do with work. I always wonder when I'll be found out, that I'm not actually as good as people think I am and that I have 'fluked' all my achievements, or that they're fake/fraud.

[jemmalou1992]

i get that too! wel i sort of like think to myself i got that by cheating, even though i didnt? i feel that anythin i do is going to be rubbish compared to what someone else will do who is in the same boat. I feel like i have no knowledge and when i work something out, it seems im being childish, like when i write an essay, it seems gd to everyone else, but to me it seems childish lol x

[northstar]

it sounds to me like you're allowing self criticism to rule over your self confidence. it's ok to have an inner critic, but it's not ok when you find yourself talking yourself down all the time. at times like this it can be a good exercise to think about what you would say to someone else who was feeling the same way as you and then try to apply it to yourself. be kind, treat yourself as someone that you care about and someone who deserves better than the harsh way you are looking at yourself :)