Not too long ago, one of my favorite Chattanooga writers was taking a timeout from putting an article together. During that break, he Tweeted an article he’d found titled: “Why Writers Are the Worst Procrastinators.” The link flashed across my iPhone screen while I was, conveniently, taking my own pause from work. Of course, I clicked the link, thus procrastinating the project I was supposed to be completing a little longer.
Writers are some of the world’s worst procrastinators. When writing, my attention deficit disorder goes full tilt. I typically get more laundry, yard work and grocery shopping done when “writing” than at any other time. Most writers, though, have limits to putting off a project. As a deadline draws near, they’ll eventually zone in to complete their task. For me, that’s when I decide to stop checking weather.com radar maps. However, some writers are so paralyzed by the fear of turning in subpar work, they will struggle to finish projects at all. The author of the procrastination piece, Megan McArdle, pins this fear to what she calls “imposter syndrome.”
Imposter syndrome is a widespread dysfunction, affecting numerous professions. It is rooted in people’s fear that at any given moment, their incompetence could be exposed. Many folks, often the very successful, are hampered by the nagging concern that maybe they haven’t rightfully earned their status or that they’re not up to the tasks of an elevated position. Some of these people worry so much about being “unmasked as frauds,” that their production dwindles to a point that it jeopardizes their career. Lots of writers would rather turn in nothing than something that showcases their mediocrity.
On the flip side, others find coping mechanisms. Many people stricken by imposter syndrome “deliberately seek out easy tests where they can shine, rather than tackling harder material that isn’t as comfortable.” This is what got me thinking about politicians. I don’t think I’d raise too many eyebrows if I said a large number of elected officials perform below satisfactory levels. Heads from all points across the ideological spectrum would be nodding in agreement with that statement. But the reasons behind that underachievement vary. Some politicians are uncompromisingly bullheaded; some are more concerned with seeing their names in print than they are with developing good policy; some simply can’t see the big picture.
There are two sorts of elected underachievers that catch my attention the most, and I’d say some from both categories suffer from imposter syndrome.