From thoughts to words - the beginning of the Imposter Logs

Five minutes before I joined my first standup call as the mentor for several new college hires, I realized I was desperately unprepared to help them. I didn’t have the expertise to guide them through their first project. How could I possibly help them prepare for careers as consultants and software developers?

Before I knew it, the Teams notification popped up letting me know the meeting had started. I took one more deep breath before clicking “Join Meeting”. By the end of that 30-minute call, my perspective was completely changed. Concepts I took for granted–ideas I assumed everyone already understood–were completely new to the group. I went in expecting to have my deepest knowledge tested from the jump. Instead of answering hard questions about software architecture and deployment strategies, I spent the 15 minutes after introductions explaining the fundamentals of version control.

This experience taught me something: the curse of knowledge is real. That is why Imposter Logs exists. I often assume that because I know something, everyone must know it (and their knowledge on the subject must be deeper). This, of course, simply isn’t true.

Imposter Logs isn’t meant to contain the all-encompassing set of answers to the world’s most complex questions. Rather, it is focused on answering the simple ones–like how to create your first web app, or why you should start working out. For some readers, any given post here could be an overly simple discussion on a topic they have already mastered. For others, however, it might be their first introduction to the concept.

Through Imposter Logs , I plan to cover the fundamentals of ideas I am passionate about and (at least somewhat) knowledgeable in. Posts will assume readers have little to no prior knowledge of the topics at hand, with the goal of teaching them something new and inspiring them to dive deeper.

So, to begin this journey, let’s start with the fundamental questions about this blog.

---

What are the Imposter Logs?

Or rather, what will it be and why should you care? The plan is to create evergreen content (aka stuff that makes sense regardless of when you read it) documenting and sharing the lessons I have learned as a technology consultant, athlete, and human being. This may be in the form of tutorials, anecdotes, or another medium entirely. Regardless of the format, we will always start by answering the fundamental questions.

As with any blog, the relevance of each post will vary based on your personal interests. However, I hope each post serves as a (relatively) timeless, stand-alone piece of knowledge that may be helpful for someone. At the very least, this will be a way for me to share my knowledge and introduce others to concepts I have already explored.

Here are some ideas I am already working on for future posts:

• How to be good with money - an introduction to personal finance and long-term investing

• Why is working out important? - lessons in fitness and how to start a daily workout routine

• Should you turn your camera on? - a guide to professionalism in a remote work environment

Regarding the name, it’s a combination of imposter syndrome and the log output of a computer program. Imposter Logs is a collection of my thoughts as an “imposter” navigating several fields.

---

Who am I?

I’m Nic. For the past several years, I have worked as a technology consultant and software engineer with clients across several industries, including logistics, financial, and pharmaceutical.

Prior to that, I was a collegiate student athlete studying computer science. While my college career has ended, my athletic endeavors continue. Today, I am a fitness enthusiast and novice runner. Whether it’s resistance training or a run in the park, I prioritize some form of physical activity every day.

Finally, I am a growth-oriented person. The pursuit of improvement (not perfection) never stops. This is true across all aspects of my life. In my career, this means working to be a better consultant and engineer. At home, I push to be a better partner and friend. In fitness, I strive to become stronger, faster, and tougher.

We’re just scraping the surface here, but you’ll learn more about me in future posts. However, if you’re curious to learn more now, you should check out the about me page or reach out to me directly for a chat!

---

Why am I creating Imposter Logs?

The idea of starting a writing project isn’t a new one. In fact, I have started a few before. These have been in different formats, including daily journals, gratitude dairies, and creative pieces. However, none of these projects have ever seen the light of day. This is in part due to the more personal, inward facing nature of those projects. My focus wasn’t to share my writing, but rather to document and reflect on it.

The Imposter Logs is different, as it will contain writing explicitly meant to be read by others.

By creating this blog, I hope to accomplish several things:

• Refine my thoughts - putting my thoughts into words gives me the opportunity to reflect and think more deeply.

• Share my experiences - like how I overcame imposter syndrome early in my career, so others can learn lessons from my mistakes and successes.

• Inspire others - I want to show myself and others how impactful the basics can be.

• Solidify my own understandings - to teach others, I must first know what I am talking about. This means double checking what I think I know.

Ideally, Imposter Logs will grow a following that can eventually become a community of likeminded individuals who share life lessons and help each other grow. I would love to meet new people and learn as often and as much possible.

---

How to stay tuned?

If you’re intrigued by the ideas around Imposter Logs and want to be made aware of new posts and updates, there are a few ways to stay tuned.

• Subscribe to the blog - this will ensure you’re notified whenever a new post is released

• Follow me - I’ll be sure to share updates on the blog and associated projects on platforms like X, LinkedIn, and, of course, here on Substack

• Engage with this and future posts - comment with your thoughts and turn this blog into a conversation space

Regardless of how you choose to follow along, I am excited to have you along for the ride.

---

Final note

A final note for you, the reader: Imposter Logs was created with you in mind. Every post is meant to provide value, whether through entertainment, education, or inspiration. Otherwise, what’s the point?

To facilitate this, I ask that you provide feedback in whatever way you feel so inclined. Leave a comment, subscribe to the blog, or reach out to me directly. I’d love to hear any and all ideas you have. Want to hear more anecdotes? Let me know. Think my post on the importance of sleep is silly? Share your thoughts–I am here for it all.

With that said, thank you for making it to this point. I am excited about the future of Imposter Logs , and I hope you stick around for the journey ahead.

---

Generative AI supported brainstorming for this post, but all writing, editing, and opinions are my own. These views do not reflect my employer or the creators of any linked content.