Over the last week, I've seen post after post talking about imposter syndrome.
So much, in fact, that I started to question whether I was suffering from some of its effects.
Stop. This is how the algorithm gets you.
When I went back to look, this sudden rush of people writing or releasing videos about it were actually weeks, months, or even years old. For some reason, the algorithm decided I was engaging with this type of content and started me on a self-doubt diet, reinforcing the idea that everyone suffers from this.
The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon
The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, coined in a 1994 newspaper letter, describes the effect of hearing a word or phrase and suddenly seeing it everywhere.
Also known as selective attention, confirmation bias, recency illusion, or, more recently, a filter bubble, it's an effect we can all relate to but is frustratingly difficult to spot.
If you buy a yellow car, better believe they are everywhere all of a sudden. Discover a new restaurant, and suddenly everyone's talking about it. Hear a new hot take... you guessed it... your feed is full of the same opinion.
Check In Before You Check Out
It goes without saying, imposter syndrome is real for many people.
But if you suddenly get those feelings, and it's not something you've felt before, check in and make sure it's not the robots making you question yourself.
If you've been in business for any time or have any life experience, your opinions should be out there in the world. Even if people (or robots) don't agree. It's the discourse that moves us forward.
