Imposter Syndrome: Taking Off the Mask

I started my blog to push the boundaries of what I believe to be true. I’ve been very successful throughout my career as a DBA. Regardless of the role, the work always seemed to “click”. Problems came up, and I handled them. New challenges appeared, and I figured them out too. Being the go-to DBA wherever I worked became part of my identity.

But in late 2021, I realized something important: my knowledge was not being stretched anymore. The traditional ways I used to grow no longer challenged me. If I wanted to keep getting better, I needed to put myself in uncomfortable places. I needed to share my thoughts publicly and invite people who were smarter, more experienced, or simply had a different perspective to push back and make me sharper.

And that’s where imposter syndrome enters the picture. Stepping out from behind the mask means facing the possibility that maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was. That once I’m visible, the “real” DBAs with decades of experience might expose gaps I didn’t even know I had. But that’s the point. Growth requires the willingness to be wrong, to listen, and to learn.

So I’ve set three commitments for myself:

• Read three blog posts a day.
• Write at least one blog post per week.
• Engage consistently in the data community and on social platforms.

I don’t know where that path will take me by the end of 2022. But I knew one thing: it’s time to take off the mask and find out.

My challenge to you is the same. Step outside your comfort zone. Choose something, anything, that forces you to stretch, grow, and level up in areas you care about.  If we all stay where we’re comfortable, we guaranteed to stay average.

And lastly, if you ever see me post something inaccurate, call it out. Let’s fix it together. I genuinely welcome that. It’s why this blog exists in the first place.