Ask Adam Savage: "Do you ever feel imposter syndrome?"

[@TheFatblob25]

Adam Savage is one of the rare times that corporate media elevates a unique talent. His ability to build & engineer things is second to his ability to talk about the creative urge & to be a craftsperson & free lance/self employed person & all the unique difficulties.

[@constancemiller3753]

TED talk for the rest of us. I'm so glad Adam explained life while opening a pop and blowing his nose. The unpretentious gentleman.

[@wawawuu1514]

"unpretentious" Unlike TED Talks.

[@gwaptiva]

Been programming for 20+ years, and after 13 years at the same company I still fluctuate between "I am a coding gaaawd!" and "Oh crap, someone's gonna discover I've been faking it all this time"

[@HamptonHorsewear]

Is that a Richard Hammond reference???

[@polerin]

Same, 15 years of dev and .. yeah. I stub my toe and all the sudden I am the worst and I can't do anything and why do I deserve to even sit in front of a keyboard

[@kestasjk]

it’s hard to know when you’re in one place for 13 years, since most of your value will come from knowing the company inside out. If you’re a really bad coder but know the business inside out you’ll be able to solve problems better than the best language experts out there

[@gwaptiva]

@@kestasjk Guess I'm stuck here :D

[@blob22201]

@@HamptonHorsewear I AM A DRIVING GOD

[@fierymongoose9945]

"You don't like Goo Gone, so you find other solutions." Well, actually, it's a solvent, not a solution.

[@johnjansma]

Problem “solved”

[@CNCcamon1]

listen you

[@KeenxLimit]

Ugh...

[@cidb.212]

Smarty pants:)

[@LewisWilkins-Lighting]

Boooo! Boo this man

[@shaneassisi2533]

The conversation about "Impostor Complex" hit me like a bag of hammers. It puts into words what I felt ( and to a degree, still feel) about my work and even my projects at home. To hear it out loud was weird. like someone telling a secret about me to a packed audience. Thanks Adam. It's terrific to gain an understanding of something and be able to use it as a tool to be better than I was. I very much intend to do so.

[@louderthangod]

Shane Assisi Yeah, I’m going through an interesting case of that in three different levels but each is at a different place. One is trending very low and it’s a new experience so it’s hard for me say that I’m wrong and just being hard on myself. With two other phases of my life that were low but I’ve gotten really powerful outside validation which were honest and insightful. When I feel like an imposter in every major part of my life that’s when it really gets hard because they start feeding off each other.

[@Morna777]

I can't have imposter syndrome. Not enough accomplishments to even get that far.

[@TheMrBeezley]

SAME! I struggle with it continually. just what I needed to hear

Same here. My respect for Adam just doubled.

[@lemastji]

I had never heard of it until today while watching this video. Best self help info I've had all month and glad I'm not alone.

[@martyncapstick8714]

I came for the tool reviews and project ideas..... but I stayed for the life lessons. Your videos should be required viewing in school, what a world we could have with a generation of Adam Savage's. Wishing you all the best fella.

[@saschaschneider6355]

"Don't compare your behind the scenes video to someone else's highlight reel" - I don't know who said it but I think that's something important to keep in mind when you're feeling like an impostor. Everybody goes through similar shit, you just don't see that about other people. You see the result, not the mistakes they've made on the way Also, a co-worker of mine once told me "only people who don't work don't make mistakes". Making mistakes is completely normal and everybody effs up on a daily basis. That's why I never play the blame game - I don't care about who's to blame when something goes wrong. I just care about improving and not making the same mistake twice - every mistake is a chance to learn something from it and with the best mistakes you learn something about yourself

[@Corbald]

The Blame Game is reserved for those who screw up consistently, and refuse to learn from those mistakes.

[@saschaschneider6355]

@@Corbald Almost anybody you talk to about mistakes that happen becomes defensive and thinks that your reason to talk to them about it is to blame them for it. Probably because of their own impostor syndrome: "They've found me out, I've made a mistake, I'm a fraud. I don't belong here!" - I normally take the time and explain to people that I don't care about blame, I care about improving. Another reason that's probably closely related is that a lot of people mistake reasons for excuses. You explain to them what led to you making a mistake and they go "Now you're making excuses!" on you. That leads to people not learning from mistakes because they don't take a closer look on why those have happened.

[@Corbald]

@@saschaschneider6355 I'm well aware of that. I'm specifically referring to those who _just don't care to try._ For those, imposter syndrome is best avoided by not giving one tiny shit about it, and as a result, never improving. It's easy to slide into the trap of never trying, so that you never fail. You can't help those who refuse to help themselves, and _that_ was my point. I've spent too much time in managerial and oversite positions to not _immediately_ spot the difference between someone who doesn't know, and someone who doesn't care.

[@inari3217]

i used to feel really bad about my work pace until i caught one of my favorite artists streaming some of their work on their workshop and i watched them sanding something for 30 minutes while making minimal progress

[@toadleeamazed3337]

Well said

[@adamms96]

Adam has one of the most level headed and agreeable points of view on life while still having such an insanely positive and wholesome attitude to go along with it.

[@insanusmaximus2857]

Adam is like the best friend I never had. Just a really good egg.

[@robinsimpson6654]

Adam’s response to the question to what keeps him cheerful is so buoyant and joyful and genuine. A perfect response.

[@Vinter2805]

When Adam is telling about the joy of assembly lines I'm here thinking this man would love to play Factorio.

[@bluewater82]

I’ll have to look that one up. I’ve been playing SatisFactory.

[@vanhalen0222]

I hope he never plays it. We won't see him for months

[@vanhalen0222]

@@bluewater82 factorio is the most cathartic game ever made for problem solvers

[@Vinter2805]

@@bluewater82 If you start playing beware, this game is also called cracktorio because you will get addicted 100%

[@pogtuber5146]

@@bluewater82 same, I like Satisfactory more than Factorio because of the 3D exploration aspect and problem-solving in 3D. There is also much less pressure in Satisfactory and lets you focus on building without being overwhelming.

[@ofdlttwo]

I have never heard of "imposter syndrome" but I absolutely understand what you are talking about. As a 32 year Oakland Fire Captain and a Tech. Rescue guy, I have surrounded myself with the some of the most experienced, talented and trained Firefighters in the country as a rescue specialist and part of an incident management team. i.e. L.A., Alaska, New York, N.C., Florida, "9/11", too many hurricanes to count. Alabama, Louisiana, Texas etc. I was asked to be an instructor for a private company from S.F. to teach multiple firefighting rescue disciplines. Trench, rope, confined space, high angle rope, flood, water, low angle, Confined Space Rescue, helicopter operations. helicopter medic with NVG. When I am with these folks, I always question myself. "Am I good enough"? I often think my peers think too high of me and rather than have a fear of not having an answer around them, I say, "I don't know". That little voice is my head is constantly saying, "I hope they don't find out how stupid I am". Maybe the voices we hear, are the questions that make us want to be the best we can be. If we didn't have them, maybe we wouldn't challenge ourselves. Great video!!!!! On a strange note, If you haven't already seen any of Mike Mullane's lectures on "Normalization of Deviance", I think you would enjoy.

[@jbkjbk1999]

I think a part of the miniature thing is the ability to "take in" the entire object at once. Like, if you see a Saturn V or some famous building, it's huge! You can't see the whole thing! It's astonishing in its scale, but it's hard to comprehend and appreciate the object for what it is. When it's tiny, you can see and appreciate the whole thing at once.

[@pegleg2959]

I think for me a big part of it is simply that miniatures are ‘cute’. I don’t mean like a puppy is cute. Honestly cute is probably the wrong word, but I can’t think of a better one haha. Miniatures are like a toy for a grown up that you don’t feel silly having on your desk haha.

[@alpheusmadsen8485]

There's another appeal to miniatures: it enables you to see how something might come together if you put it together at a small scale, when you can't afford to build a full-size version. For the past several weeks, I've had tent trailer designs bouncing around in my head, some simple, some very complex. I've been meaning to get around to creating a cardboard version of it, just to see it go from pencil sketches to something in real life -- and I want to do this in no small part because I'll probably never hade the time or money to build the thing for real!

[@SH-th4wy]

Thank you Adam for the "Do you ever feel imposter syndrome?" talk. It _really_ does help to hear that from someone like you. I've been at the same company for 37 years and still feel it despite promotions and compliments. I too know that it comes and it goes. But it helps to be backed up by a guy who is obviously not an imposter. I often wonder if stress like this is actually what keeps me employed. I think it is part of the price some people pay for high self expectations. The whole episode was therapy!

[@Clown_Wizard]

Thank you, Adam! I work in accounting, but I do art/comics in my spare time. When I finally worked up the nerve to go to an art meet-up to be around other artists, the phrase, "You don't belong here" was so overwhelming in my head that I didn't say a word and didn't go back. Once the world re-opens, I'll try again!

[@_GntlStone_]

I lost my dog Chips in 2009, when he was 17. I miss him still. He was a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and Border Collie mix, we think. Truly one of a kind. The thought of him still makes me smile.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Even when I acomplish things I feel it. It is like a stair case, every step is an acomplishment, then the next step can bring back those imposter feelings. Just keep taking forward steps, even if your feelings are screaming that you're not worth it.

[@youngturksfan]

Totally - I felt overwhelmed by it when I started at my job. Five years later, it’s still constant, and I think it’s strongest when I’m praised - like I somehow misled the team that my work had value. Granted, I’ve struggled with anxiety and insecurity my whole life, so it’s compounded. I so appreciate hearing Adam’s experience, and also wish we all could talk about it openly. When we can observe we all feel like impostors sometimes, we can realize there are way fewer (perhaps zero) completely confident people than we thought.

[@ecstaticpenguin768]

Look at all the people who don't accomplish squat.

[@mariothingy]

Ever since I first watched Mysthusters as a kid I understood Adam and I were kindred spirits. Mythbusters was a cornerstone of my childhood and I attribute a good junk of my curiosity and creativity to Mythbusters. Now, as a young adult watching this Q&A I'm struck by how many of Adam's thought processes and habits I can relate to. His chaotically curious mindset is so similar to my own, sitting here watching this Q&A I feel like I'm listening to advice from my future self. I'm just as inspired by Adam now as I was when I was 11. I think that's a beautiful thing.

[@ilikesnow]

The way you speak about your past dogs is a very admirable quality Adam. Most people have a hard time talking about the great times in the wake of a loss due to the reality of those times actually being gone. Bravo sir. Also, I get imposter syndrome with my dogs... I still feel like I don't deserve them everyday!

[@Smashachu]

Ill be honest, when you talked about how you were really messy in your 20s to the point that you got kicked out of your apartment. It really stuck with me, as i'm in my 20s and i'm REALLY messy. You freed me of that shame and now i'm not crippled by it.

[@TooLazyToFail]

I loved the discussion of the change from two dogs to one and how the one that remains changes. We lost one of our two cats in December (at a respectable old age, and without suffering) and the remaining cat is WAY DIFFERENT in ways we didn't expect. She suddenly became vocal, bolder, and a lot less skittish. We're amazed.

[@tnp651]

Imposter syndrome can make you secretive and short-tempered to protect yourself from the criticism you know you deserve. Adam is open to his flaws and self-criticism in a very human, humble, thoughtful way. There's nothing hidden, which makes him a great interview subject (which is what these Q&As are).

[@jeantesc812]

I find these streams incredibly helpful for my metal health in these crazy times.

[@iobawan]

🤘

[@SPOOKYSKULL13]

Metal Health is what we aaaaall neeeeed! Great song

[@flashfader]

Rock on brother

[@yo64yo]

that's pretty metal

[@joshuarosen6242]

Kerrangg.

[@ricecrash5225]

For me it’s all about the break from expectations that’s magical and holds wonder. We expect to look through a large window and see whats inside. What we don’t expect is to look through a 1/350 scale Enterprise and see a fully functioning bridge with lights and chairs, shuttlecraft, arboretum’s etc. Seeing a glimpse into a world that we can hold in our own hand. It is immensely satisfying and the skill set required can range from enthusiast to mastery.

[@sidneysun5217]

thank you for talking about imposter syndrome. I'm a pilot and you might find it funny that I do feel like this too. sometimes when I make the boarding announcements, like someone's gonna knock on the door and ask me to get off the plane. I always need a few seconds to arrange my thoughts before pushing the button and sometimes it's nerve-wracking.

[@ryanmcewen415]

I could listen to a thousand motivational speakers and never get a moments benefit from them. But listening to Adam talk is motivational and inspirational. Its after 1am and all I want to do is get up and go into the shop and get back to work! Thank you Adam!

[@Alloran]

I've already lost "You turn 30 and look around and nobody knows what the hell is going on." That is exactly correct. I forget where, there's a chart on how competent you feel while playing starcraft 2 that sort of illustrates this. The bronze league has no clue what's going on, the silver league is getting the hang of it, the gold league thinks they've got it under control, the platinum league thinks they've totally mastered the game, the masters league feels like the game is shifting week to week, and the grand masters feel like all is chaos. The professionals at the top of the leaderboards are just going to wing it and hope their mechanics and reads win the day. When I was coming out of highschool college was scary but exciting and I thought I had a good bead on things by junior/senior year. I got into gradschool and nothing worked, you had to figure everything out yourself, and the "professionals" around you were brilliant people wondering lost in a maze. By this point I've given up ever hoping to "figure it out", all I need is to make it work.

[@slomnim]

Dunning kruger but slower?

[@Blowinshiddup]

Adam's the kind of guy you could hang out with and not realize just how much you're learning because you're just absorbing the energy. Can't beat the dog story.

[@legoboy-ox2kx]

The line "I feel like someone is going to come over and tell me to go home" hits me all the time at my job, especially since it's the first job I've had in my actual career.

[@OldSneelock]

Hi Adam. Imposter Syndrome: I am an Engineer with no training in engineering other than on the job experience. I worked for a company as a machine repairman/building maintenance/general handyman. I needed a part for a machine. My boss who was the Engineering Manager told me to call the company and order what I needed. I called the company and asked for the parts department. I got sent to a guy who couldn't answer my questions in a way I could understand. After a few minutes he asked , "Are you an engineer?" Being honest I said, "No." He said, "Have an Engineer call back." Then he hung up. Feeling crushed, I told my boss what had happened expecting him to have one of the real Engineers call for the information. He said to call back and tell them I was a Process Engineer. He said, "Everyone is a Process Engineer." Amazingly it worked. All of a sudden the scales fell from my eyes and I realized that the simple act of saying it was so, made it so. I realized that the titles and papers were a bolster to the story but the saying that it was real carried just as much weight as any document. My boss with a degree in botony was Engineering Manager in a manufacturing plant. Because he said he was. Since then I have worked at many jobs. Some I was more, or less, qualified than others. I always told myself in those times when the crap is deep and there isn'tva shovel to be had, "You're here now. Moving forward you may fail. Doing nothing you surely will."

[@captainfleece7259]

These are my favorite videos, listening to Adam just talk about just life and stuff is really great.

[@blurg2712]

It is just so easy to listen to this guy talk. He's reasonable, charismatic, and that energy really reads.

[@michaelb.5345]

Adam you make so much sense it’s scary and that’s great.

[@Orionrobots]

The truth in this is brilliant - realising nobody knows what the heck is going on (including governments, management, unless you are Hari Seldon), the drudgery necessary to any work, and of course, imposter syndrome.

[@danm.243]

@AdamSavage. Thank you for your insights. Redoing work IS kryptonite. I can see you seething as you talk about it. For me, the fear of redoing work is tremendous motivation to do better, often more so than the satisfaction of finishing a project. As makers, we also need to embrace that imperfection is perfection, if not just for our sanity.

[@iBlake]

“Levitate with rage” is my new favorite thing. It literally made me belly laugh, which is tough these days.

[@pony3284]

I think my favorite part of this video is how detailed he goes into his skill collection/collecting. That skill of being a skill collector is equal to or greater than an individual degree or apprenticeship. As a current college student/degree seeker, I'm acknowledging that my skill collection will continue to grow and validate my future pursuits.

[@TheChakatBlackstripe]

"Why do we find miniatures so appealing" I think the small-scale removes our sense for it's imperfections. On a large board, you can see all it's imperfections, all the knots, all the rough grain. But shrink it down, and you start to lose all those imperfections, the board starts seeming more and more 'perfect'. A detail explored in narrative means during the Gulliver's Travels story.

[@ATONAL6173]

This feeling passes. Want control over feelings of difficulties? Then somehow get control of time. Oh, you can't control time? Ok, then difficulties you don't know how to overcome are also out of your control. What can you focus on, what can you change? ... Thanks, Adam and team. Middle School Orchestra Teacher here who struggles mightily with some of the heavier realities of my job, especially this year, specifically how my mind and chest deal with it. Breathing, stopping, notice what's within your grasp, what's out, how can you make it better right now? You've helped me lower my feeling of worry significantly. Now as I'm typing, you quote the wisdom that I think was first written in Ecclesiates and first taught to me by Pete Seeger, if I didn't hear it in church first... A time for everything. Thanks again for feeling out loud. Many of us benefit more than we all probably know. :)

[@alecmcgrathofcanada9175]

When he said "it's already 2:30", I was satisfied to see that it happened to be actually 2:30 as I watch this video. I was not watching it live.

[@ragedrako]

Working my first job, which is in a creative field, and imposter syndrome hits me weekly. The feeling that everyone is better than me, and that I'm not contributing to anything, and that I shouldn't be there. But then there are the moments that also happen weekly, when people I look up to and have why more experience than I have ask for my opinion. That makes my day. So I keep on trucking.

[@captainx5246]

I think even if this only happened once a month, I would love for this to continue regardless of any virus situations

[@skydancedon588]

I love your answer to having multiple projects at a time. I wish I could bottle that answer and dispense it when people comment about how I have so many "unfinished" projects. I have been a maker all my life , now 70, and still thoroughly enjoy learning new skills, even if it means setting a project aside while I do. Thank you, Adam for all your insights and processes.

[@vlhefner]

I can’t thank you enough for talking about the ‘imposter complex’ - truly struggle with that and have never thought about it from that perspective. Seriously, thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

[@AnthonyHarrisTechrat]

Hearing Adam talk about putting projects on hold is great. I will often have a bunch of projects in the queue and will bounce between them. Sometimes it takes weeks to go back to them, if I do at all. I'm glad that even someone as project-oriented as Adam Savage can leave something incomplete for a while until motivation strikes.

[@magicmanspaz]

Thanks Adam. Going through some mental tough times lately and found this these vids have actually been rather comforting and grounding.

[@matteldridge9367]

Seven months later, how are you doing man?

[@FlamingRobzilla]

Regarding your finished projects that you continue to work on; I'm reminded of the saying that "Art is never finished, it's just abandoned." I discovered that to be so true. When I create an image and I think I'm done, I'll come back to it days or weeks later with new eyes and a renewed interest. There is always something else to do on it. Eventually I just have to walk away, but I get so much pleasure from perfecting upon perfection I just don't want to stop. One of the hardest lessons I learned in art school was how to say "That's good enough." If you want to make a living in the field of creating and crafting, it's important that you know when to stop.

[@ShuujuuRyuu]

"i didnt sign up for Sirius FM, why am i getting billed for it?" LMAOOOO the most realworld problem XD

[@jeffacko465]

There is something that i really admire in you Adam, and that is you talk to the audience as an equal ie you dont talk down to people, like sooo many other people that are well known. Thankyou for that, and thankyou for the videos.

[@Namdrac]

I watched this when you originally uploaded this and it means just as much to to me now as it did then. Thank you for making efforts to put this kind of information about "Imposter Syndrome" such valuable information!

[@BruceRF]

Adam, you're kind of my spirit animal. I'm the exact same way. I don't get mad at others, I get mad at myself for everything. Over time I learned to quiet the "voices". I think it was The Way of the Peaceful Warrior which proposed a way of thinking that I modeled myself after. This helped a lot with those negative feelings. So now I'm more outwardly self-critical rather than internally self-critical. The advantage, I think, is it forces me to be aware of these feelings so that I can deal with them on the surface rather than letting them tear me down without really know where it comes from.

[@TheKnowledgeWizard]

Man I didn't think listening to Adam talk about imposter syndrome was gonna make me tear up like this on a Thursday morning but here we are

[@TruckinSongster]

Thank you for talking about mental health through the lens of imposter syndrome! I struggle deeply with it… I finally found my village of supportive, grounding, understanding friends and family who remind me of my qualifications and experience! I’m an aspiring singer songwriter and I’m finally finding my sea legs! This week I submitted my first song for major label consideration! It gets better!!!!

[@malbogia8003]

"Levitates with rage" is being added to my daily interactions from now on

[@ltloxa1159]

Woah! How do you do that?

[@davisbjur3025]

The part where you talk about imposter complex really hit home with me, and I never had a name for it. There has never been a time where someone has offered me a job based on theatre tech that I didn’t immediately think “I guess, but I probably won’t be good at it.” And, invariably, all the client wants is someone who can get it done properly. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be amazingly beautiful. It just needs to FUNCTION PROPERLY. Thank you Adam for spreading this information and support to the maker community.

[@quelorepario]

"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence" - Charles Bukowski. (Aka. The Dunning-Kruger effect)

[@argynin]

That's a great quote, although one easily sounds arrogant saying it 😅

[@MaxMason-nn7gv]

@@argynin That’s exactly how you describe Bukowski’s writing :-) Modest Mouse has a great song lyric along the same lines: “Everyday seems to be a little bit more like Bukowski - and yeah I know he’s a pretty great read - but god who’d want to be such an asshole...”

[@argynin]

@@MaxMason-nn7gv That is a good way to put it aswell :)

[@rabbitphobia]

I really like how he is so honest about his faults and failures, he also seems genuinely appreciative of his fans. Very cool atributes.

[@elvisdepelvis4431]

These sessions are so awesome. Just talking about the imposter stuff was so valuable for me. Thank you. Please keep doing these sessions.

[@matteldridge9367]

The bit about the imposter complex. Never realized other people experienced that. Honestly made me feel so much better listening to someone else talk about it and how they cope, especially from someone I look up to and have tried to emulate in different facets of life. Thanks Adam

[@aikumaDK]

For me, Imposter syndrome comes from being aware of my own process, shortcomings and limitations, while knowing none of that about the person standing next to me.

[@the_original_Bilb_Ono]

But also it feels like "I'm actually not that great, I've just fooled everyone into believing I'm good." That's how I feel about playing guitar. Of course people who have never even held a guitar will say I play good, but I'm not even close to the C-grade professional. So I cant accept compliments from anyone. I only listen to the negative things, and I beat the shit out of myself mentally. Although I think this is healthy in some respects because it pushes you to improve at any cost. But I think once you've mastered your craft, those thoughts dont stop. It STUNS me to hear my hero's say that they cant play well and that they arent doing anything special. BB King and Gilmour say in their interviews that they feel like they still have no idea what they're doing and they're just using age old pentatonic licks. Which they often are, but every compliment is rebutted with some kind of let down.

[@journeyofawesome8473]

@@the_original_Bilb_Ono I've had people compliment me on things and my, cliche at this point, response is, "I don't know what I am doing, I just fake it reeaaly well." Other times I put on exaggerated bravado for comedic effect, to hide that I feel like I just got lucky.

[@hellotheregeneralkenobi365]

Part of this is a tendency to see the best in people. If you are critical of yourself and see the good in others then it can create a feeling of inferiority even if the other person feels the same way about you.

[@uneverything]

@@the_original_Bilb_Ono To truly love guitar, keep it simple. Be a student to those that are better than you, and be a teacher to those that are not as good as you.

[@ThrawnFett123]

@Bilb Ono what I like to pretend is advice, but may not realistically help and I apologize for if it doesnt, is there is absolutely a skill ceiling for everything that keeps most people out of it. You seem to have crossed that ceiling. I'm never gonna run a 4.10 40 meter dash. But most everyone on earth isn't gonna run the 4.46 I ran either. I wasn't even "supposed" to run it. I just could, and that taught me that all of the metrics don't matter if you beat them. The simple answer is, your "good enough" can EASILY be someone else's "exceptional" because they're not you

[@inphu510n]

Thank you for normalizing incomplete projects! I feel like I constantly have projects in states of incompletion that sometimes get finished and others that sit and yet others that just get tossed out because I know I'm done there. Thank you Adam!

[@HannahFortalezza]

Loved your talk on imposter syndrome. Very heartfelt, very relatable. Also loved your talk on communication with animals. I too adore such connection. Honestly though, if the human race does indeed start being able to talk properly with animals, there's going to be a lot of hard truths to face by many - namely their horror at our exploitation of them. I look forward to it.

[@thomaskolb8785]

Andrea V Absolutely spot on. A 1:2 model of the Saturn V would not be as attractive as a tiny desktop model.

[@norbertdavis8903]

Like the wisdom in your book, this particular question and your explanation was a huge lightbulb moment. I have always had what I considered a slightly unhealthy fear of my work product and even how I am as a husband and father. You and the viewer who asked the question put a name to that fear and gave me a place to work from. Knowing the name of something that afflicts you is half the battle to conquering it. It made me so happy to “be in the club”!! I can now know that when I get a compliment from others at work or seeing my family happy I’m not just being lucky but that I’m good at it and NOT a hack. My wife has told me that I’m my worst critic. I tend to “get too deep” into thought on things at times and don’t just take them at face value. This could be a game changer for me. To know that I’m as good as I hoped I’d be, that I’m doing it right. Maybe not to the probably way too high standards that I tend to set for myself, but still hitting high marks. Maybe that’s why I just hit 20 years at my company doing the work that I love. It is true, find the job you love and you will not work another day in your life. Now I think I can be happier not worrying that the “tap on the shoulder” is coming, but I don’t want to get complacent either. Thank you for addressing this, you probably saved me years of therapy and have released me from not knowing the name of that which afflicted me. Bless you. I guess there is a benefit to watching KZbin, 🤣🤣

[@flymeetspaddle]

i just lost my cat of 15 years, and i really miss the dialogue we had.. that being said you really help to cheer me up with the animal talk at the end :)

[@CitizenSnips69]

Meow :)

[@CasLee]

I'm sorry for your loss

[@augmentedjustin835]

this is the most wholesome and uplifting thing I've ever watched. Being a maker myself (of music) I get this so much. I always get that feeling of "you don't deserve to be making music. no one wants to hear it. You're not good enough for this." but man... what a good way to deal with that.

[@HomebrewHorsepower]

I still feel like an imposter at least once a week, despite being the recognized expert and the authority in my area at work. I'm not the best who ever did the job, but I am better than most. Despite that, I don't know everything and any time that I am faced with something new I doubt my abilities. I fear that my unfamiliarity with this new thing is the evidence that I don't actually know as much as I've convinced others I know, and that I will now be found out to be a fraud. In reality, being open about what I don't know helps others to trust that what I say is true. Anybody who doesn't appear to have weaknesses is lying to you. By being honest, others will learn to trust you, and those who are less experienced and are experiencing their own impostor syndrome realize that even those they look up to still have a lot to learn.

[@hackeritalics]

This is absolutely but I feel like we have always felt like. when I combine that with the depression that is keeping me from getting things done that I want to get done I really feel out of place sometimes in my job even though everyone around me treats me like I am computer Jesus. LOL it's also been some time since I really worked on improving my skill set in certain areas and I know I'm slipping. Watching this video that will help me understand that I'm too much in my head and need to just get to it. LOL for various reasons today's seems like it has been very productive for me from a mental health perspective.

[@norbertdavis8903]

You speak the truth. I never claim to be an expert in anything. “Jack of all trades, master of none. That’s me. I don’t know everything but I do recognize how things relate, even if it’s not obvious to everyone else. It’s my “talent”. It’s how I made my position at work. And yes, being honest is “the best policy”, I find that I get a lot more respect from those in my company that I feel are subject matter experts in their specific areas.

[@simonfairall5122]

So accurate

[@christophercarpenter7536]

I have walked away from projects for days at a time, but never realized that when I clean and straighten my workspace when hitting these road blocks, that I am coping with this imposter complex. It really does help. Even when I'm cussing myself to tears, at least I know now how to deal with that. Organization has always been lacking for me, but with this newfound knowledge and enough road blocks, I'll be organized in no time.

[@RocketPunchHero1]

"Get shit done-itis" LOL That needs to be on a t-shirt, Adam.

[@NewAgeDIY]

Adam, just like you I have projects that have come to a full stop because I haven’t figured out how to do something. Them weeks, months later a light bulb goes on in the dark of night and I got my answer! I sure there’s lots of Makers that can say the same. But when you get the problem solved it a wonderful feeling that’s hard to put into words. Thanks for providing the opportunity to travel down this road of discovery!

[@hideandfreak]

Omg!! "Gettingshitdoneitis" I get this all the time on projects. My brain WILL NOT shut off until I have finished the project, day and night it focuses on whatever task I am doing until I finish it. And I now have the name for it..... i have gettingshitdoneitis!!!!

[@superpheemy]

Thank you Adam. I gotta remember to be gentle with myself more often. Working from home has aggravated Imposter Complex for me a lot. I usually work quietly in my field, but I absorb the ambient chatter around me from my team. It is one of my coping mechanism since knowing my team is having similar challenges and struggles that I do helps remind me that I'm not the only person experiencing challenges with my job. WFH has interrupted that. Often I sit alone with my thoughts and my challenges and frustration make me feel like the weak link in the team. Which, of course is false. You sharing your experience helps me so much.

[@alexkairis3927]

"Is there a way that I can do this more efficiently?" Is probably my favorite game to play at work.

[@Internizer]

Adam! I very rarely comment on any video, but I wanted to send you good vibes, wish you the very best and say that your caring and humble outlook on life is refreshing and welcomed. You're the man! Thank you.

[@nomadicningen]

One of my only fears has been I'm not as smart or as good as I think I am, that ppl are just nodding and smiling with me but secretly thinking "Oh this poor guy, just overlook him."

[@flapeee]

nah .... it's you got it in reverse ... they nod cause THEY are not getting it

[@nomadicningen]

@@flapeee lol yeah, those would be the looks I get from my wife and kids.

[@pjam4490]

Adam, this has to be one of your best videos. Simply put, you are being so honest and open. I’m sure we can all relate to exactly what you’re saying. It’s ok to be human and it can help to know that you’re not alone. 👏🏻

[@mikaelnilsson1037]

Thank you Adam for the "Impostor Complex" part! And all the rest of course! I love these Q&A:s.

[@Runnerman-hr1ly]

It’s funny how I’m just now getting to this episode. Adam your a wonderful person and hearing you talk about imposter syndrome is something I deal with. Just you saying be gentle with yourself more than being hard on yourself made me feel peace. Thank you so much. Your a treasure to us all!

[@Arazand]

How to do something you hate: I usually go the "I'll just do this for 5 minutes" and personally I end up finishing the task instead. Cause its the STARTING that the problem for me.

[@sharp357]

You are so right. As a paramedic, a job in many places which is so, so hard so crazy trying to save people from dying and failing so many times, I felt like I was terribly over my head. I think I felt like an imposter for my entire career. Yet I managed to stay on the job for 35+ years. I don't know how, but that same feeling that someone was going to find me out any day and tell me to go home was always in the background. Today with years past my retirement and the stress easing up, I can reflect on the many many people I did save. Those that thanked me and hugged me after they left the hospital. I feel less and less like an imposter and it doesn't affect me as much anymore. Thanks for letting us all know that it isn't just us and the well known and famous are just as prone to it as the rest of us little guys. You should also talk about how others always want to do what you do and think they can't. People said that to me all the time. "how can you do that?" I would look at them and think but how can you do the cool thing you do? This a whole nother conversation. Thanks Adam!!

[@fr0styy202]

16:33 - 26:56 This is my way of booking marking this for later when I need inspiration

[@3c_guitars]

Exactly

[@autonomiq_org8794]

Again - I will repeat it - Thank you for what you do for us. Inspiring!

[@DaNiKzz]

Question: Have you ever wanted to re-do/ restart Myth busters?

[@rafezetter8003]

He has talked about this several times - the answer is very likely no, because he and Jamie did not see eye to eye on a lot of matters, they respect each other greatly as makers, but a lot of the interpersonal stuff got in the way from what I gather.

[@manytrickpony695]

I would think not. Not that he would have an issue. But what I noticed is that show got to be more about boom... and then they needed a Boom and then they needed BOOM and finally the BIGGEST 💥 💥BOOM 💥 💥 they can... short of Nuclear bomb. Seeing a Shockwave is cool as hell... but its done and I'm cool with one day builds and whatever happens moving forward.

[@janetmilan4698]

I have no problem with stepping back and admiring my work. I have no problem with other people praising my work. But I really squirm when they start praising me. "Oh, you're so wonderful!" And I think, "Well then, you don't know me. What will you think when you realize how ordinary I really am."

[@kamodt]

Like finishing making a tool and immediately break it?

[@opablo_gm]

I too was expecting him to mention that tappy-tap-tap handle episode... When I saw that handle breaking-up instead of thinking "I told you so..." (becase I knew it would break while seeing it being made with a disproportion between the diameter of that neck with the mass of the head...) i though "Ohhhh fffffff alllllllll those steps again... what a frustration" As if that frustration was so much bigger felling than the i-told-you-so mindset...

[@anoukc9476]

I found it weirdly refreshing to hear Adam talk about imposter syndrome. Its easy to watch videos and wonder how some people can do so much and us so little. It feels good to see that everyone goes through the motions and have self doubt, makes me relativise the self confidence struggles I sometimes face!

[@ilovefilms87]

Great genuine person ✌️❤️

[@todun83]

Watched this as I was applying for more jobs after my studio closed permanently over a year ago. Thanks Adam. Your words on imposter syndrome, empathy, and joy helped.

[@chain3519]

Thank you. I honestly cried at the impostor complex stuff

[@slandgsmith]

I really enjoy these Q&A sessions. Adam really opens up about things that most celebrities would not. Thank you, Adam, for being an honest human being.

[@BecauseGames]

"...No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the universe gets that." - Slartibartfast (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

[@PsykoMonkeey]

I know that is better to see a professional, but Adam has become my favorite motivational coach, i feel like your perspectives are very on point and leveled, i enjoy every part of your Q&A, you're one of the persons personality i want to become as i grow older, you reminf me of my granpa, he was a maker and with his limited materials he could make the most amazing mechanics. I admire him and miss him, much love from México.

[@RoelfvanderMerwe]

That conversation about the impostor syndrome hit me hard. Damn Adam! You explained almost exactly how I feel!

[@Volamek]

I needed this so badly, and I had no idea. It's not only creative fields that need to hear and understand this. Thank you for your wisdom. You help more people than you know.

[@LittleBlueTugBoat]

" how do you make yourself do things you don't want to." Feverishly Looks over at glass of fluid.

[@TorQueMoD]

I never quite realized how much I love listening to you talk Adam. I hope you have kids cause you would be an epic dad! Thanks so much for your story about imposter syndrome, it really helped me to feel better after a lousy day!

[@3DJapan]

6:39 The problem is, sometimes you spend so much time trying to find a better or faster way, that it would have been faster to just do it the first way. Haha

[@jawstrock2215]

So true, but in my case, finding solution is the fun part, not the actual work XD... so I

[@mrsj4350]

I, like many of us, grew up watching and loving Mythbusters. And in the past two weeks have found Adams channel here and it has been so amazing to fall back in love with Adam and live vicariously through his skills as a maker and deep love of all things having a home and being in their home (As I find immense joy in organization). This video literally brought me to tears. I feel so much kinship with so many of the things Adam gets excited about (though many of them are beyond my personal capabilities). But they make me want to create more, to be more, to strive to be as free and creative as he seems to be. But when he started talking about Imposter Syndrome I lost it. I know we all experience it but to hear his explanation and his feelings about it, as someone we all have looked up to our whole lives, it makes him feels so much more real. And I feel not as alone. I recently took over a small organization that I have been part of for 10 years. And not a moment goes by that I don't fear someone else from the community coming in and saying "Who let you be in charge? You don't know enough to lead this group." Also, it's weird because imposter complex is why I don't make videos, act, or do anything like that in front of people. I fear that they are going to see right through me and that someone will say, "who does she think she is?". But never the less I love knowledge, I love learning things and I love that Adam shares all of these things with us and allows us to join him in a way that we all longed for in the days of Mythbusters. Thank you Adam.

[@kosmonautdan6715]

When it comes to Lego I'm the exact opposite of Adam. I never knoll, I just empty the bags all at once and lose myself in searching through the pile.

[@pixl3l]

This to shall pass. Words mentioned often around here. Thank you for talking about imposter complexes and doubt, and letting people know that this is a thing. People like you, that uses a rather large forum to open up this discussion gives hope to a lot of people, me included. Stay safe.

[@WakeNBakeMusic]

20:29 - that used car analogy is way too accurate.

[@j03Biz]

Adam, sharing your experiences in every one of these topics resonates so much it’s insane. It not only makes me feel better but it feels the most real, when you hear a lot of things that prove “talk is cheap”, sure, but this is “talk is priceless”. Thank you for this!

[@Echonix]

Blimey, wasn't expecting to be the answered, let alone first!

[@MetaMarcy21]

How do you pronounce your screenname?

[@Nerdbuilt]

My answer would have been to be able to obtain something small that resembles a future goal like a doll house or have something small to remind me of a past memory....

[@Echonix]

@@MetaMarcy21 Good question, I pronounce it "Eh-Con-ix", but have heard a surprising number of variations; Adam attempting it was something I never imagined.

[@Echonix]

@@Mortarman0341 Thanks, I do too. Being a maker of miniatures is something I'd like to do as a full-time job, just got to find an industry that'll have me.

[@Echonix]

@@Nerdbuilt Agreed, you have the nostalgia of a model railway and the future prospects of an architectural model, all in the world of miniatures.

[@TrondBørgeKrokli]

This is fantastic. Even though Adam is barely a year older than me, I find this type of advice very comforting and pleasing. Wish I knew more about this when I was younger, or at least could have had a better understanding of how advice like these could be viewed back then. Nowadays, I mostly take comfort in knowing that it does not really matter that I don't know everything before I start working on a new project for my leaders, even if the task may seem daunting at first.