I have no idea what I'm doing
The smartest developers/people I know don't have to prove they're the smartest at every step.<p>They have the comfort to say "I don't know" and "You could be right".<p>Most importantly, they have an attitude of "I can probably figure something out that will work".<p>They rarely say something is not possible.  They rarely say no outright.<p>They more often than not will say "Let me think about it and get back to you."  They understand how delicate an idea is and how valuable it could be.<p>Being a problem solver every day, coming across new situations and getting better at it means this mindset is a normal, expected thing.<p>Problem solving is an optimistic skill, not pessimistic.<p>Problem solvers live in possibility, tempered by healthy, but not poisoning doubt.<p>What does this leave?<p>Those who are so full of their own doubts that they start to believe in the insurmountability of their doubts.  They turn, like evangelists to spread their viewpoint and  validate their insecurity and bring others down with their doubts.<p>I call them, the the doubt worshippers.  Blind doubt is as  painful as blind faith to me; especially where creativity and innovation are expected to occur.<p>Starting with a seed of believing in logical thought and debate, doubters now feed the monster of doubt, and live and see life through doubts, first, instead of possibilities tempered by doubts.<p>Doubters look at everything with what they believe to be a critical eye.  Rather, it is one of doubt seeking to destroy, not tempering possibility so it may have a chance at succeeding.<p>Doubters love to play the position of contrarian, having something grand to say that's generally the opposite of whatever is being said, just to fuel their doubt muscle.  Doubters are generally risk averse.  Doubters generally avoid pushing their limits and growing. Yet, they're so smart and logical and skeptical.<p>Still, great things only seem to get accomplished in the realm of possibility and creativity.<p>Exclusive doubters kill creativity and innovation.<p>I generally avoid self-doubting doubters.  If a scoffing, smarmy, self-absorbed know it all can't openly entertain an opinion that isn't theirs, isn't really as open of a mind as advertised.  Logic is a great tool, but it is not where creativity resides.  Doubt and logic can be used to fuel ignorant, stupid, petty and fanatic ends as easy as anything.<p>There's too many folks who try to fake it until they make it.  They are driven by managing their insecurities instead of building their strengths.  Unfortunately you can't fake being able to learn the details, see how the dots could connect and making a new reality that actually works with them.<p>Find and cherish those who know the balance of living in creative and innovative possibility and letting the doubts be a healthy, but not ruling force.<p>0.05