Hey, TED Talks Daily listeners. I'm Elise Hugh. Today we have an episode of another podcast from the TED Audio Collective handpicked by us for you. This time it's from How to Be a Better Human, hosted by comedian Chris Duffy.

Imposter syndrome is one of many therapy-speak words that has gone mainstream the past few years, but what is it, really? Aparnah Nancherla

knows all about it. Apana is a comedian and the author of Unreliable Nairator, me Myself, and Imposter Syndrome. Despite her success as a performer,

she, like many of us, isn't immune to self-doubt. She and Chris talk about the curious and often

funny ways she's learned to deal with this, like creating a resume listing all her failures,

or making up words at parties to gauge other people's reactions.

And speaking of finding humorous ways to deal with life's many ups and downs, I just want to take

a second to give my fellow TED podcaster some love. Chris Duffy has a new book that just came out

called Humor Me, How Laughing More Can Make you present, creative, connected, and happy.

If you're interested in hearing more from Chris about his book and how he's learned to

keep laughing through it all, mark your calendars for February 18. That's when I'll be talking

with him in front of a live TED audience for our first TED Talks Daily Book Club interview of

2026. To learn more in

RSVP, visit go.tot ted.com slash membership. And now on to Chris's conversation with Aparna. You're listening to How to Be a Better Human.

I'm your host, Chris Duffy.

Sometimes, if I think too hard about this podcast, my head starts to spin.

Like, who am I to host this show, or to host any show, for that matter?

Why on earth would I think that people should listen to me ask questions about being a better human and why would these

successful intelligent guests agree to an interview it's easy to start feeling like this

whole thing is a fraud and I'm about to be found out and kicked out and that I'll never work

again I want to say but of course that's not the case. That's like what would make sense to say here, but of course that's not the case. But if I'm being honest, I don't know that I really believe that that that's not the case. Sometimes I really wonder. I hope that these feelings of insecurity are wrong and inaccurate, but I can't say that I know for sure. And I think that almost all of us have those doubts sometimes, where we question ourselves

and feel like we're faking it. But for some people, those feelings can be constant, intense,

...