After 15+ years as a professional #SoftwareDeveloper in multiple techs and with employers/clients good, bad, and amazing:

I still wake up most days overwhelmed by the work I've committed to and feeling very much like an impostor.

A few tips in a for ya:

1. We all feel like an impostor at some point (you aren't alone, promise), and a lot of us deal with it constantly.

I analyze the feeling and decide if:

a) I'm just pushing my limits and growing, or

b) I've overpromised and need to adjust

2. Strive for option A.

The tech we use (and charge for) moves too quickly to master it all, so don't bother trying.

Instead, never stop learning. Never stop playing with the next thing and incorporating it into your work. Never get COMFORTABLE.

But do stay honest...

3. If you overpromise, it'll suck, but deadlines can move, you can find someone to finish it, etc. Worst case you lose the gig and move on. You won't die (promise).

Learn from it. Thankfully this has been rare, and it's because I STRIVE to be honest about what I can actually do.

4. Find an employer/clients who let you grow without having to overpromise.

The worst clients I've had expected perfection (doesn't exist) and scrutinized every billable minute for deliverable lines of code. That's not how it works in a healthy shop.

But the best clients...

5. The best clients listen and let you learn, fail, and get it right.

You'll grow together, and even when you DO overpromise, you'll learn from that, too.

One of them might even buy you out and make you a CTO causing impostor syndrome * 1000.

And you'll be okay then, too.