Starting Over Stronger: Reflections on Confidence, Growth, and Impostor Syndrome

Nicolas Cava
Edited onEdited on Jul 13, 2025
Reading time2 minutes

Losing my job recently hit harder than expected.

Not just financially — but psychologically. Confidence, something I thought was solid, turned out to be more fragile than I realized.

I've led teams, shipped products, and solved tough problems. But once the dust settled, I was left facing something I hadn't dealt with in a long time:

Impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and a creeping sense of paralysis.

I found myself second-guessing everything — whether I was still relevant, whether I was "good enough," and if I should even bother chasing some of the bigger ambitions I've quietly held for years.

But here's the thing: I'm not writing this as a confession. I'm writing it as a commitment.

Over the next few months, I'm taking deliberate steps to rebuild:

  • Letting go of perfectionism by shipping imperfect things faster.
  • Challenging impostor thoughts by acting on evidence, not fear.
  • Rebuilding confidence through execution — not waiting for it to magically return.
  • Documenting this journey here, for anyone else navigating something similar.

These notes won't become a therapy journal. But it will reflect the mindset shift I'm committing to — one where growth beats fear, and action beats self-doubt.

If you've been through this before — or are in it now — I'd love to hear what helped you. And if you're quietly struggling with perfectionism or impostor syndrome, you're not alone.

Let's figure this out, one post, one small win at a time.

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Nicolas Cava

Nicolas Cava

Engineering Leader