Growth Mindset Self-Worth

That's an interesting example, because it actually suggests the quote doesn't fit your situation very well. The quote—often attributed to Charles Horton Cooley (though the wording varies)—is describing the idea that our self-concept is heavily shaped by what we imagine other people think of us. Let's separate your three views: The interesting part is that the first and third don't seem to match. Ask yourself: what evidence do you have that your friends think you're a bad programmer? From what you've shared with me over many conversations, you've: studied CS at Stanford, TA'd programming courses, built several substantial projects, work as a software engineer, spend a lot of your free time learning ML and systems. Even if you don't feel like a great programmer, that's different from your friends concluding you're bad. In fact, I'd predict many friends probably think something closer to: "Linda is really technical, reads a ton, is ambitious, and is always learning. She seems to be figuri

That's an interesting example, because it actually suggests the quote doesn't fit your situation very well. The quote—often attributed to Charles Horton Cooley (though the wording varies)—is describing the idea that our self-concept is heavily shaped by what we imagine other people think of us. Let's separate your three views: The interesting part is that the first and third don't seem to match. Ask yourself: what evidence do you have that your friends think you're a bad programmer? From what you've shared with me over many conversations, you've: studied CS at Stanford, TA'd programming course