Lately, I’ve been struggling to stay centered—caught between the extremes that come with this job. It hasn’t stopped me from working, but it has definitely made things harder.
As developers, we all know the rush of solving a bug or wrapping up a complex ticket. That feeling of elation,almost god-like power, that makes everything worth it. We also know the other side of the coin: the pit of dread when you’re stuck on something, spiraling into questioning all your life choices since high school.
Being a developer means living between those two extremes. With time, you learn to surf the waves. You figure out that you’re not a genius every time things go well, and you’re not a complete failure every time you hit a wall. The real sweet spot lies in the middle. Getting into the flow, doing your best, delivering without getting carried away by the peaks or crushed by the valleys.
It wasn’t always like that for me. Insecurity and stepping outside my comfort zone made those highs and lows much sharper. When you’re fighting impostor syndrome, a small win feels like conquering the world. You get addicted to that adrenaline rush. The problem? Overconfidence. It makes you sloppy, blinds you to risks, and sets you up for mistakes.
And when mistakes come, they hit harder. They feed the impostor voice, they spiral into anxiety, and suddenly you’re second-guessing everything. It’s a vicious cycle, one that can feel impossible to break.
For me, the way out has always been action. Not heroics, just small steps. Recognizing where I am, taking a breath, asking for help once I’ve done my homework. The worst thing you can do is freeze. Paralysis just makes the lows deeper.
With time, though, things even out. The highs don’t feel so dizzying anymore, but the lows aren’t as devastating either. You find balance. You trust the process, the team, and yourself. You learn to ride the waves instead of being thrown around by them.
I don’t think it’s just confidence, it’s adaptation. It’s our brains adjusting to the stress of a job we care about deeply. What matters is acknowledging it, staying humble, and not letting the extremes take control.
Because in the end, things always get better. They always do.