Podcast Summary

TED Talks Daily — How to Be a Better Human: Why your brain is an unreliable narrator

Guest: Aparna Nancherla (comedian; author of Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome)
Host: Chris Duffy
Date: January 11, 2026
Theme: Understanding Imposter Syndrome, self-doubt, and the unreliable nature of our inner narrative — with wit, honesty, and practical strategies.

Episode Overview

This episode features comedian and writer Aparna Nancherla in conversation with host Chris Duffy. Aparna’s recent book, Unreliable Narrator, explores imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and mental health from both personal and cultural angles. The discussion delves into the ways our brains misrepresent reality to ourselves, how imposter syndrome particularly affects marginalized groups, and why sharing our failures can be liberating. Throughout, Aparna brings humor and vulnerability to what is often a heavy topic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Imposter Syndrome?

[08:06–08:44]

• Aparna defines imposter syndrome: “The feeling that you are just a fraud or just undeserving of any success… persistent feeling that you’re going to be found out… for not having the capability that [others think] you do.” (Aparna Nancherla, 08:12)
• It's not just personal self-doubt, but the belief that any external success is luck, not skill.

2. Therapy-Speak in the Mainstream

[08:44–10:49]

• Imposter syndrome, like many mental health terms, has become “gentrified” and diluted. People sometimes use it to describe any feeling of not fitting in.
• Aparna notes: “It...become[s] shorthand for...umbrella things...so imposter syndrome has kind of...become an umbrella term for anything where you kind of feel out of place...” (Aparna Nancherla, 09:00)

3. The Meta-ness of Writing About Imposter Syndrome

[10:49–12:08]

• “I have a full-time job as a comedian... not taking things seriously... But I also have an undergrad [degree as a] psych major... So I... leaned into... the scientific inquiry process... I’m gonna figure this out.” (Aparna Nancherla, 11:31)
• Writing the book as a non-expert about feeling unqualified leaned directly into her imposter syndrome.

4. Visibility, Identity, and Comedy

[12:08–14:40]

• Aparna discusses not conforming to expectations of what a comedian “looks” or “acts” like, both in appearance and energy.
• “I don’t... conform... I think there’s also something about my personality or how I present, not being this loud, boisterous... comedian energy.” (Aparna Nancherla, 13:49)

5. Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

[15:27–17:14]

• Social support matters: “One big thing for me is just talking about it with other people... a lot of people are either experiencing the same feelings or don’t feel that way about you.” (Aparna Nancherla, 15:43)
• Systemic issues: Imposter syndrome isn’t only an internal issue: “It might not just be an individual level problem… there might be institutions not doing enough to support people who might not conform to who’s been there in the past.” (Aparna Nancherla, 16:44)

6. Failure Resumé: Sharing Rejection

[19:24–21:40]

• Aparna describes building a “failure resume”—listing her professional and personal setbacks as a counter to focusing only on successes.
• “If we hear about other people’s failures… it helps us quite a bit... it’s almost like an act of altruism.” (Aparna Nancherla, 21:11)

7. Reframing Goals Around Rejection

[23:18–24:28]

• Chris discusses setting yearly goals that include aiming for rejections, not just acceptances: “If I get 10 rejections, that’ll mean that I at least tried 10 times.” (Chris Duffy, 24:04)
• Aparna agrees: “There are definitely going to be rejections. So to kind of even anticipate them is so smart.” (Aparna Nancherla, 24:19)

8. The Myth of “Being Chosen”

[25:02–25:52]

• The episode critiques the narrative of the “chosen” successful person: “We are so enraptured by the idea of... success after success... I think there is so much randomness and chance that’s always involved...” (Aparna Nancherla, 25:02)

9. Blazing Your Own Trail

[28:47–30:26]

• Aparna talks about finding her unique path in comedy—outside traditional clubs, leveraging the internet, and creating opportunities that suited her style.
• “I decided that model wasn’t going to work for me... So I was like, well, I guess I’ll just do it a little differently and see what happens.” (Aparna Nancherla, 29:55)

10. Making Space for Difference

[30:26–31:46]

• Encourages listeners that alternative routes to success are valid, especially if standard spaces make you feel bad about yourself.
• “You have to take those risks... even if... it’s not assured or the right decision, but know that it fits what your intuition is telling you.” (Aparna Nancherla, 31:11)

11. Comic Relief: Making Up Words at Parties

[33:14–34:08]

• Aparna describes her playful social experiment: inventing fake, SAT-sounding words at parties to see if anyone questions them.
• “I just see if anyone kind of asks... is that a word? ... No one ever challenges it... They’re either, like, afraid to seem dumb or... I guess everyone else knows what this word means...” (Aparna Nancherla, 33:25)
• Sample invented words: “furnitious”, “bratticide”, “plungent”.

12. Imposter Syndrome Beyond Work: Body Image & Mental Illness

[36:40–39:06]

• Aparna highlights that self-doubt affects body image and perceptions of mental health:
  • “You have to... trust your own emotions... but when you are in a really bad mental space, you have to question those thoughts too.” (Chris Duffy, 39:06)

13. Learning to Coexist with Imposter Syndrome

[40:27–41:25]

• Progress isn’t about curing imposter syndrome, but living with and contextualizing it:
• “I do think I’ve just come to understand it more as a part of myself rather than all of myself... I try to remember it is a piece of me, but it sometimes has some ideas that maybe aren’t great.” (Aparna Nancherla, 41:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On defining imposter syndrome:

  “The technical definition is the feeling that you are just a fraud or just undeserving of any success or things you’ve accomplished.” — Aparna Nancherla [08:12]

• On therapy-speak going mainstream:

  “It has just become more shorthand for…bigger, umbrella things like if you’re feeling sad, you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m depressed today...’ So imposter syndrome…has become an umbrella term for anything where you feel out of place.” — Aparna Nancherla [09:00]

• On sharing failure:

  “It’s almost like an act of altruism to share your failures, because you’re helping other people, maybe even more than yourself.” — Aparna Nancherla [21:11]

• On invention for self-discovery:

  “I sort of frame that I’m like, ‘Yeah, I have a lot of ambivalence about being here too.’” — Aparna Nancherla [14:40]

• On the unreliability of our inner narrative:

  “I’m aware that my self image is distorted, but does it matter if I fully buy into it? Hello, fringe religions and small batch cults. Sometimes it’s almost like my imposter syndrome is the majority of me and the rest is my shadow.” — Aparna Nancherla [28:12] (audiobook excerpt)

• On living with self-doubt:

  “I do think I’ve just come to understand it more as a part of myself rather than all of myself… It sometimes has some ideas that maybe aren’t great.” — Aparna Nancherla [41:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [08:12] — Aparna defines imposter syndrome
• [09:00] — The gentrification of therapy-speak and dilution of “imposter syndrome”
• [12:08] — Aparna discusses her non-traditional presentation as a comedian
• [15:43] — Talking to others and the role of therapy
• [19:31] — The “failure resume” explained
• [23:18] — Reframing goals to include rejection
• [25:02] — The myth of the “chosen” person and randomness of success
• [29:55] — Creating a comedy career outside the mainstream model
• [33:14] — The party game of slipping in invented words (“furnitious,” "plungent")
• [36:40] — Imposter syndrome in body image and mental illness
• [41:00] — Viewing imposter syndrome as one part of oneself

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation blends humor and vulnerability, mirroring Aparna’s style: self-aware, gently self-deprecating, insightful, and generous. Chris’s easy rapport helps make complex issues accessible, with laughter punctuating otherwise heavy topics.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode is an honest, funny, and insightful look at why so many of us feel like frauds—no matter how successful or accomplished we may be. Aparna Nancherla’s stories and strategies offer validation and practical ways to reframe self-doubt, encouraging everyone to accept that our inner narrator isn’t always telling the truth. If you’ve ever felt out of place, struggled to internalize your achievements, or wondered if everyone else has it figured out, this episode is a warm, witty guide to making peace with your unreliable brain.