Not Good Enough? Depends on Who’s Judging.

Hey Devs! This week I wanted to talk about something that doesn’t come up in code reviews or tutorials, but hits many of us hard: feeling like you’re not good enough. Not bad. Not unskilled. Just... not quite measuring up. This post is part of my journey as a mature career-changer into tech, but honestly, this feeling isn't about age. It’s about navigating rejection, resilience, and keeping your head up in an industry that sometimes forgets we’re all human. Let’s talk about impostor syndrome, getting up after setbacks, and the strength in just showing up. When “Good” Doesn’t Feel Good Enough Here’s a thing I’ve been thinking about this week, not because I’m feeling down, but because it’s true: Sometimes, it’s not about not being good. It’s about feeling like you’re not good enough. There’s a difference. You can be skilled, dedicated, constantly learning, and still feel like you're auditioning for a club that never seems to let you past the velvet rope. Especially when you're a career changer, on your second (or third) act in life, trying to break into a tech industry that often feels like it's built for people who learned to code before they learned to shave. But let’s rewind a bit. When Dreams Expire Early I grew up wanting to be a footballer. Not just Sunday league, I mean the dream, the real deal. And I was good. But unless you’re already turning heads by 17, 18 max, that dream closes faster than a five-star hotel door on a man in Crocs. You get used to it. The early rejection. The whispered “he had potential” comments. The reality that being good doesn’t always cash the cheque that dreams write. So, you adapt. You move forward. But that seed of “not quite enough”, if you’re not careful, it follows you into new dreams. Career Changing and That Familiar Feeling Entering tech later in life is... interesting. You’re mature, focused, disciplined. You don’t party on weekdays. You drink espresso, not energy drinks. You even reply to emails on time. But. You’re also applying to jobs where the required experience reads like it was written by someone who thinks 2 years in a framework is “entry-level”. You get ghosted, rejected, “we went with someone else”d, on repeat. And even though you know your worth and you’ve been doing the work, there’s that whisper again: “Maybe I’m not good enough.” Not “bad”. Not “clueless”. Just… not enough for the gatekeepers. But Still. We Rise. Here’s the bit that matters: I’m not staying down. I don’t say that as a motivational quote guy, if you know me you know I am not. I say it as someone who’s been rejected a lot and still got up the next day and pushed another commit. As Rocky Balboa famously put it: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Rejection’s not new to me. But giving up? That’s not part of the plan. My Foundation I’m lucky. Really lucky. I have a beautiful family that reminds me every day that I am enough, even when the inbox says otherwise. They’re my rock. My stability. The one place where no one’s measuring CVs or GitHub stars or whether I used tabs or spaces. And with that behind me, I keep showing up. For the learning. For the growth. For the win that hasn’t happened yet... but will. Final Thoughts I’m not sharing this to fish for sympathy. I’m sharing it because I know I’m not alone. If you’re out there, changing careers, chasing goals, hitting walls, and still showing up, you’re in good company. You’re not broken. You’re just playing the long game, like I am. So keep building. Keep shipping. Keep applying. Keep laughing. Keep writing blog posts like this one that dance on the line between professional and just slightly unfiltered. Because that’s enough. And so are you.

Apr 24, 2025 - 12:53

Not Good Enough? Depends on Who’s Judging.

Hey Devs!

This week I wanted to talk about something that doesn’t come up in code reviews or tutorials, but hits many of us hard: feeling like you’re not good enough.
Not bad. Not unskilled. Just... not quite measuring up.

This post is part of my journey as a mature career-changer into tech, but honestly, this feeling isn't about age. It’s about navigating rejection, resilience, and keeping your head up in an industry that sometimes forgets we’re all human.

Let’s talk about impostor syndrome, getting up after setbacks, and the strength in just showing up.

When “Good” Doesn’t Feel Good Enough

Here’s a thing I’ve been thinking about this week, not because I’m feeling down, but because it’s true:

Sometimes, it’s not about not being good.
It’s about feeling like you’re not good enough.

There’s a difference.

You can be skilled, dedicated, constantly learning, and still feel like you're auditioning for a club that never seems to let you past the velvet rope. Especially when you're a career changer, on your second (or third) act in life, trying to break into a tech industry that often feels like it's built for people who learned to code before they learned to shave.

But let’s rewind a bit.

When Dreams Expire Early

I grew up wanting to be a footballer. Not just Sunday league, I mean the dream, the real deal. And I was good. But unless you’re already turning heads by 17, 18 max, that dream closes faster than a five-star hotel door on a man in Crocs.

You get used to it. The early rejection. The whispered “he had potential” comments. The reality that being good doesn’t always cash the cheque that dreams write.

So, you adapt. You move forward.

But that seed of “not quite enough”, if you’re not careful, it follows you into new dreams.

Career Changing and That Familiar Feeling

Entering tech later in life is... interesting. You’re mature, focused, disciplined. You don’t party on weekdays. You drink espresso, not energy drinks. You even reply to emails on time.

But.

You’re also applying to jobs where the required experience reads like it was written by someone who thinks 2 years in a framework is “entry-level”. You get ghosted, rejected, “we went with someone else”d, on repeat.

And even though you know your worth and you’ve been doing the work, there’s that whisper again:

“Maybe I’m not good enough.”

Not “bad”. Not “clueless”. Just… not enough for the gatekeepers.

But Still. We Rise.

Here’s the bit that matters: I’m not staying down.

I don’t say that as a motivational quote guy, if you know me you know I am not. I say it as someone who’s been rejected a lot and still got up the next day and pushed another commit.

As Rocky Balboa famously put it:

“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Rejection’s not new to me. But giving up? That’s not part of the plan.

My Foundation

I’m lucky. Really lucky. I have a beautiful family that reminds me every day that I am enough, even when the inbox says otherwise.

They’re my rock. My stability. The one place where no one’s measuring CVs or GitHub stars or whether I used tabs or spaces.

And with that behind me, I keep showing up. For the learning. For the growth. For the win that hasn’t happened yet... but will.

Final Thoughts

I’m not sharing this to fish for sympathy. I’m sharing it because I know I’m not alone. If you’re out there, changing careers, chasing goals, hitting walls, and still showing up, you’re in good company.

You’re not broken. You’re just playing the long game, like I am.

So keep building. Keep shipping. Keep applying. Keep laughing. Keep writing blog posts like this one that dance on the line between professional and just slightly unfiltered.

Because that’s enough.

And so are you.