Jesse Armstrong, creator of the hit HBO drama Succession, has revealed that despite his numerous awards and accolades, he still struggles with impostor syndrome. The award-winning screenwriter admits that when his writers' room is working well, it feels like "walking on the moon," but when it's not, he doubts his abilities.
Armstrong describes a good day in writing as having moments where "everything's veined with gold" and ideas are flowing from everyone in the room. However, this feeling of magical collaboration can quickly turn to self-doubt when the work isn't meeting expectations. He confesses that he often finds himself questioning whether his writing is up to par, even after completing multiple drafts.
"I would find that very, very difficult," Armstrong says, revealing the crippling effects of impostor syndrome on his creative process. The pressure to maintain high standards can be overwhelming, and the fear of being exposed as a "fraud" is always lurking in the background.
Despite this self-doubt, Armstrong has discovered a way to cope. He believes that having a small but consistent feeling of confidence – about 10-20% of the time – helps him navigate these challenging moments. This growth comes from acknowledging and retraining negative thoughts, reminding himself that his doubts are not necessarily true.
For Armstrong, understanding impostor syndrome is crucial for maintaining creative well-being. By accepting this common affliction, he's able to approach his work with a more nuanced perspective and avoid letting self-doubt consume him. As he aptly puts it, "Maybe that little bit of confidence that you know that's how it feels, maybe that grows in you."
Armstrong describes a good day in writing as having moments where "everything's veined with gold" and ideas are flowing from everyone in the room. However, this feeling of magical collaboration can quickly turn to self-doubt when the work isn't meeting expectations. He confesses that he often finds himself questioning whether his writing is up to par, even after completing multiple drafts.
"I would find that very, very difficult," Armstrong says, revealing the crippling effects of impostor syndrome on his creative process. The pressure to maintain high standards can be overwhelming, and the fear of being exposed as a "fraud" is always lurking in the background.
Despite this self-doubt, Armstrong has discovered a way to cope. He believes that having a small but consistent feeling of confidence – about 10-20% of the time – helps him navigate these challenging moments. This growth comes from acknowledging and retraining negative thoughts, reminding himself that his doubts are not necessarily true.
For Armstrong, understanding impostor syndrome is crucial for maintaining creative well-being. By accepting this common affliction, he's able to approach his work with a more nuanced perspective and avoid letting self-doubt consume him. As he aptly puts it, "Maybe that little bit of confidence that you know that's how it feels, maybe that grows in you."
. It's weird how we put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect online. Maybe Armstrong is onto something by having that 10-20% confidence? I try to remind myself that everyone has their own struggles, even the people who make it look easy 
. And honestly, it's refreshing to see someone so high up (in the world of TV creation) still struggling with the same feelings of self-doubt as us mere mortals 
.
Like, can't we all relate to feeling like we're just faking it and someone's gonna expose us? 
I mean, I've had days where my writing feels like a total disaster and I'm questioning whether I even deserve to be called a writer. But what Armstrong said about having that 10-20% confidence is SO true for me too! 
It's all about acknowledging those negative thoughts and reminding myself that it's okay to not have all the answers. And you know what? That little bit of confidence can make all the difference in tackling those pesky self-doubt moments 
. Maybe we should all try to cultivate a bit more of that for ourselves? 
I mean, who hasn't felt like a total fake at some point? 
followed by " wait, what am I doing? 
. I love how he breaks down his thought process and just says that 10-20% confidence is enough to keep him going 
gotta appreciate a creator who's willing to be vulnerable like this 
. I mean, have you ever been writing a story or working on a project and suddenly feel like you're just winging it? Like, what if nobody likes it? 
. Maybe Armstrong is onto something with this growth mindset approach? 
I'm over here thinking he's a total rockstar because of his show. what about all the people who are dying to work on succession and can't even get an audition let alone create something as iconic as this show? 
it just don't add up
but i guess it's better than nothin right?
but other times we're all like "what r we even doin?!" 
and honestly, I feel for him - it's easy to get caught up in the pressure to perform. but the key is finding that balance between confidence and humility 
I'm telling you, this guy Jesse Armstrong is hiding something 
. I mean, what if his writing team does all the work and he just takes the credit? 
Maybe that's why he's been getting so many awards, it's not because of his talent, but because someone is pushing him from behind 
.
. I bet if we dug deeper, we'd find out that everything is not as perfect as it seems in Succession 
. Give me a break! 
. But at the same time, Jesse Armstrong's right - even when everything is going well, it can be tough to shake off that feeling of "what if this isn't good enough?" 
. I'm definitely going to try to work on my own self-doubt and remember that it's okay to have those moments where you're like "yeah, I got this!" 
. And 10-20% of confidence might sound low, but hey, it's better than nothing, right? 
. And yeah, sometimes those doubts creep in when things don't go as planned... but for me, taking a step back and reminding myself of my strengths helps 
. It's funny how we're always so hard on ourselves, right? 
especially when u're chasing ur dreams and trying to prove urself 
like Armstrong said it's normal 2 doubt yur abilities even when u've achieved greatness 
cuz who doesn't wanna be that "fraud" 
. I've found that when I'm feeling really stressed about a project, I remind myself that everyone has bad days (even teachers 
) and that it's okay to make mistakes 
. Maybe Armstrong is onto something with this 10-20% confidence thing