Jesse Armstrong, Creator of Succession, Openly Struggles with Impostor Syndrome
Award-winning screenwriter Jesse Armstrong has shared that even in the midst of success, he grapples with feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty. His comments came during a recent appearance on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where he discussed his experience writing for hit shows like Succession, Peep Show, and In The Loop.
When asked about the process of creating a successful show, Armstrong likened it to "walking on the moon" – a feeling of euphoria when the writer's room is working well. However, this sense of wonder can quickly fade, leaving him questioning his own abilities as a writer. "You're suddenly released from the thing that could take you a week to figure out at your desk on your own," he explained. "But when it's not working and you feel you're not going to equal the best version of the thing you're trying to make, I would find that very, very difficult."
Armstrong acknowledged that impostor syndrome is an ongoing struggle for him, even with his numerous awards and accolades. He believes that this self-doubt can be debilitating, making it challenging to navigate even the most creative projects. "The theoretically consoling idea that 'oh, it'll be all right because you've done it before', actually becomes another rod for your back," he noted.
To cope with these feelings, Armstrong suggested that one must develop a certain level of confidence, knowing that their negative thoughts are often unfounded. He also hinted at the importance of growth and learning from past experiences. "Maybe that little bit of confidence that you know that that's how it feels, maybe that grows in you," he said.
As Succession concluded its fourth series with numerous awards under its belt, Armstrong's candid discussion highlights the ongoing challenges faced by writers in the entertainment industry. Despite his success, he continues to grapple with self-doubt, demonstrating that even the most accomplished creatives are not immune to the doubts and fears that plague us all.
Award-winning screenwriter Jesse Armstrong has shared that even in the midst of success, he grapples with feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty. His comments came during a recent appearance on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where he discussed his experience writing for hit shows like Succession, Peep Show, and In The Loop.
When asked about the process of creating a successful show, Armstrong likened it to "walking on the moon" – a feeling of euphoria when the writer's room is working well. However, this sense of wonder can quickly fade, leaving him questioning his own abilities as a writer. "You're suddenly released from the thing that could take you a week to figure out at your desk on your own," he explained. "But when it's not working and you feel you're not going to equal the best version of the thing you're trying to make, I would find that very, very difficult."
Armstrong acknowledged that impostor syndrome is an ongoing struggle for him, even with his numerous awards and accolades. He believes that this self-doubt can be debilitating, making it challenging to navigate even the most creative projects. "The theoretically consoling idea that 'oh, it'll be all right because you've done it before', actually becomes another rod for your back," he noted.
To cope with these feelings, Armstrong suggested that one must develop a certain level of confidence, knowing that their negative thoughts are often unfounded. He also hinted at the importance of growth and learning from past experiences. "Maybe that little bit of confidence that you know that that's how it feels, maybe that grows in you," he said.
As Succession concluded its fourth series with numerous awards under its belt, Armstrong's candid discussion highlights the ongoing challenges faced by writers in the entertainment industry. Despite his success, he continues to grapple with self-doubt, demonstrating that even the most accomplished creatives are not immune to the doubts and fears that plague us all.
jesse armstrong is literally the ultimate goal for me!!! i mean i've seen his work on succession and it's just WOW 
but i had no idea he struggled with impostor syndrome too 
idk how someone who creates such amazing content can doubt themselves so much but at the same time i'm like yeah that makes total sense lol im definitely gonna try to take some of his advice and work on building my own confidence 
I'm literally obsessed w/ Jesse Armstrong rn! 
That must be so draining & demotivating. I love how he's open about his struggles with impostor syndrome, it's like, we get it, dude! 
You're human too, despite all those awards & accolades. 
His advice to develop confidence is SO relatable 
& I'm gonna try that ASAP. Succession is still one of my fave shows btw 
. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE AND GROWTH - WE COULD ALL BENEFIT FROM A LITTLE MORE OF THAT IN OUR LIVES 
!
i mean i get good feedback from ppl i work with but whenever i present a new idea or project to my manager im just like what if they hate it idk how to deal with the pressure of bein someone other than me 
im not even sure if its normal to feel this way but jesse armstrong is literally a hero for sharin his struggles 
and everything feels right, but then you step back and realize there's this whole other world out there waiting for you... same thing with Jesse Armstrong 
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. And who knows, maybe that's what makes them even more relatable and human 
, you know when you're on top of your game and then suddenly you start questioning everything? 
Like I'm writing a blog post and I'm feeling really confident about it, but then I read some comments or someone points out something that makes me go "oh no, what if they're right?" 
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. They're all like "oh, we've got it under control" but secretly they're freaking out 
. What's interesting is how he says he needs to develop a level of confidence that knows its negative thoughts are unfounded 
. Like, nope, self-doubt can pop up anywhere, even when you're on top of the world 
. Maybe we should all be more like him and learn to own our imperfections?
. I mean, Jesse Armstrong is a genius, but even he's not immune to those pesky doubts 
. It's actually kinda reassuring that he's owning up to it and saying that he's still figuring things out 
For me, visualizing my goals and breaking them down into smaller tasks helps. Here's a simple flowchart: 
. Let's support each other in being vulnerable and sharing our struggles! 
He's had an amazing career, but it's like he's still trying to figure out how to put on his own shoes sometimes 
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. We can't be expected to have all the answers all the time. And that's what Jesse Armstrong said - that these feelings of self-doubt are ongoing and that it's okay to struggle with them 
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. Maybe if we all talk about our struggles, we can help each other out and build each other up 
. I think it's super brave of Jesse to share his feelings, though - it's not exactly a conversation starter for awards shows 
. And I love what he said about growing confidence from knowing our negative thoughts are often off base