Jesse Armstrong, the creator of the hit HBO drama Succession, has opened up about the creative highs and crushing lows he experiences as a writer. Speaking on the popular radio show Desert Island Discs, Armstrong shared that a successful writers' room can feel like "walking on the moon" - an overwhelming rush of inspiration where ideas flow effortlessly. However, when things don't go as planned, and doubts creep in about one's abilities, Armstrong admits to struggling with impostor syndrome.
According to Armstrong, even the most talented writers are plagued by self-doubt. He attributes this to a lingering 70% fear that his work will be a disaster, exposing him as a fake. The only way to counter this anxiety is to find that elusive 10-20% confidence in one's abilities, where he believes his work could be truly great.
Armstrong suggests that this growing sense of self-assurance comes from recognizing that negative feelings about oneself are often unfounded. By acknowledging and accepting these doubts, he believes it's possible to overcome them.
The renowned writer behind Succession has won numerous awards for his work, including 19 Emmys and nine Golden Globes. Despite the accolades, Armstrong remains vulnerable to impostor syndrome, a phenomenon all too familiar to creatives. His candid admission serves as a reminder that even the most accomplished among us struggle with self-doubt.
In this era of high expectations and intense competition in the entertainment industry, Armstrong's openness about his inner demons offers a refreshing respite. It is a testament to his humility and willingness to confront his own vulnerabilities head-on.
By speaking out about impostor syndrome, Armstrong hopes to create a sense of solidarity among writers and creatives, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles. As he said on the show, "You don't know how possible it is for me to be a really bad writer because you don't see all these drafts where it's really bad."
According to Armstrong, even the most talented writers are plagued by self-doubt. He attributes this to a lingering 70% fear that his work will be a disaster, exposing him as a fake. The only way to counter this anxiety is to find that elusive 10-20% confidence in one's abilities, where he believes his work could be truly great.
Armstrong suggests that this growing sense of self-assurance comes from recognizing that negative feelings about oneself are often unfounded. By acknowledging and accepting these doubts, he believes it's possible to overcome them.
The renowned writer behind Succession has won numerous awards for his work, including 19 Emmys and nine Golden Globes. Despite the accolades, Armstrong remains vulnerable to impostor syndrome, a phenomenon all too familiar to creatives. His candid admission serves as a reminder that even the most accomplished among us struggle with self-doubt.
In this era of high expectations and intense competition in the entertainment industry, Armstrong's openness about his inner demons offers a refreshing respite. It is a testament to his humility and willingness to confront his own vulnerabilities head-on.
By speaking out about impostor syndrome, Armstrong hopes to create a sense of solidarity among writers and creatives, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles. As he said on the show, "You don't know how possible it is for me to be a really bad writer because you don't see all these drafts where it's really bad."
it's actually kinda relatable, even if u r a total rockstar in the industry. i think we can all learn from his honesty about impostor syndrome, though 
it's not just for writers or creatives - anyone who's ever felt like they're faking it till they make it can relate to this stuff 
. I mean, it's easy to get caught up in the idea that we're all superheroes who always know what we're doing... but let's be real, even when our work is going great, those imposter feelings are still lurking in the background 
. It's like, yeah, you've got a good idea and it's coming together, but at the same time, you're over here thinking "what if this blows up in my face?" 
It's like, okay, yeah, I'm having some imposter feelings right now, but at least I know it's normal and I can work through it 
.
. So yeah, thanks Jesse for sharing your struggles with us! 
I mean, who doesn't love feeling like an impostor, right? Armstrong gets me, bro. 70% fear of being a total failure... that's just my Netflix binge-watching anxiety levels on steroids! 
But seriously, it's refreshing to see someone as accomplished as him be so open about their struggles with self-doubt. I mean, who hasn't had those moments where you're like "what if I'm actually not good enough?" 
Glad he's sharing his vulnerabilities, hope more people in the industry do the same 
. It's refreshing to see someone like Armstrong be so vulnerable about their struggles with impostor syndrome 
. Let's give him a round of applause for sharing his story and hopefully inspiring others to do the same 
.
. We need more creatives sharing their struggles to remind us we're all in this together 
.
! Who hasn't felt like an imposter at some point in their creative journey? I mean, we've all had those moments where our work just isn't hitting the mark and we're wondering if we're even good enough #ImpostorSyndromeIsReal. But what's so refreshing is that Armstrong is owning up to it and sharing his struggles with us 
. It's like, okay, I'm not alone in this feeling... we can all be a little more kind to ourselves when those doubts creep in 
. And honestly, who wouldn't want to write a 10-20% confident script that could be truly great? 
Let's raise our hands (or in this case, our laptops) for Armstrong's vulnerability and willingness to share his insecurities with us! 
and it's amazing how he's acknowledging those negative thoughts instead of ignoring them. his words are a reminder that even the best among us struggle with self-doubt, so let's not be too hard on ourselves when things don't go as planned 
I'm low-key impressed by Jesse Armstrong's honesty about struggling with impostor syndrome 
. His point about finding that 10-20% confidence is so true 
? It's refreshing to see someone as talented and accomplished as Armstrong be like, "Hey, I'm human too" 
! 
but Jesse Armstrong just dropped a truth bomb about impostor syndrome. Like, 70% of creatives are struggling with self-doubt? That's wild! I think what's crazy is that even successful people like him can't escape it. It's like, you'd think the more you succeed, the less doubt you'd have, but I guess not.
... like, one minute you're basking in this euphoric rush of ideas and the next you're drowning in self-doubt 
.
... like, yeah, my work might not be great but at least i tried 
. Like, who hasn't felt that way at some point in their life? 
.
. And honestly, I think that's what makes his show Succession so great - it's not just about the wealthy family drama, but also about the people behind the scenes who are human and flawed 
. Maybe we can all learn from his example and be more kind to ourselves when we're feeling down 
i guess thats why it's so refreshing that hes talkin openly about it tho, maybe we can all just take a deep breath and remember w/ every draft there's at least one bad one 
He's right, creatives can be super hard on themselves. I mean, who hasn't had those moments where they're like "what am I even doing?" 
But at the same time, it's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you can just acknowledge your doubts and move forward. Armstrong's approach is so refreshing - instead of trying to hide behind a mask of confidence, he's owning up to his fears and showing that it's okay to not be okay.