Ever Feel Like You’re Failing as a DM?

Hey folks,

So, I’ve been DMing for a bit now, and I like to think I’m decent at it. I’ve always been good at spinning stories and keeping my friends hooked, but lately, I’ve been overthinking something I don’t see talked about much: that “I failed as a DM” feeling.

Like, when do we actually fail as DMs? I guess it’s when the table isn’t having fun, right? At the end of the day, the whole point of RPGs is to have a good time together. But man, sometimes I walk away from a session feeling like I dropped the ball, even if my players say they had fun.

I’m curious—has anyone else felt this way? Like, maybe you messed up a plot point, or the pacing felt off, or the energy at the table just wasn’t there? What did you do to bounce back and make your next sessions better?

I’d love to hear your stories or any tips you’ve got. Whether it’s about prepping better, reading the room, or just shaking off that self-doubt, let’s chat about how we can all level up as DMs.