Navigating Imposter Syndrome as an Artist (And What To Do)

Learning to let those doubtful feelings go is difficult. Feeling inauthentic is a fairly common roadblock among creatives, but a hard feeling to shake.

!(Dead Potential) Playing a show at Eastfax Tap, 14 June 2025.

Brian May still deals with imposter syndrome, to this day, as he shared on the podcast Fret Not with Rosie Bennet. Fortunately, as creatives, we are not alone in this feeling. Channeling those feelings into something positive is where the real labor lies.

I will share with you five well-being tips I’ve learned over the years, which you can use to control your creative destiny.

1. Acknowledge your feelings

1. Give yourself a pep talk

1. Celebrate wins

1. Learn to grow from failures

1. Set realistic and unrealistic goals

Acknowledge your feelings

It is easy to overlook our feelings and deflect them. The solution is to turn the problem on its head. Reflect on what triggers feelings of doubt, anxiety, or inadequacy.

For example, your confidence might be wavering because you think about how others will receive your musical skills. You go to an open mic, and your equipment suddenly becomes complicated, or you rush through your songs.

An example of acknowledging your feelings could look like this…

*Wow, I didn’t show up at my best that night. I felt anxious about what everyone listening was thinking. I just wanted to run out of there.

However, I know every opportunity I get to perform allows me to improve for the next time. We all have bad days as musicians. If I move forward with the right attitude, things will be okay.*

Acknowledge your feelings, find a reasonable mindset, diminish the inner critic, and move forward.

Give yourself a pep talk

Learn to reframe those negative thoughts. It is too easy to blame yourself for a lack of motivation, but being a musician is not smooth sailing. You have to practice and be diligent in your skills to work with other artists. There are a few ways to practice pep talks.

Look at yourself in the mirror, and tell yourself today is going to be a good day; you are capable and talented; tell yourself you can do it.*

Pro tip: *(maybe address something specific to make it more intentional).

Use present and future verbs, not passive language: (I “will” get X done today; I “am” making X happen today).

If you do not want to talk out loud, you can always write down your affirmations. Journaling is an excellent way to set intentions and reflect thoroughly on your goals.

I found writing my thoughts down the most useful because I can then challenge them as they’re written down.

You can start to see how absurd it is to doubt yourself in real-time.

Celebrate wins, big or small

It is easy to dismiss wins if you lose sight of them. We don’t often recognize our wins because we are too preoccupied with seeking those big achievements.

Small achievements are just as important, if not more so, towards achieving those big wins. Give yourself credit where credit is due!

A “big-win” example could be playing your first open mic or writing your first song. Take a moment to break down how you got there and practice some self-gratitude.

The “only” reason you were able to book a show: you rehearsed covers/original songs countless times, you reached out to multiple venues and were persistent, you took pictures, videos, and audio recordings to present your best image, communicated well with others, etc.

This can be a good exercise for acknowledging how far you’ve come. Be proud and keep going.

Learn to grow from failures

Use failure as an opportunity to reflect and grow. Everyone fears taking those risks. This idea has been ingrained in most of us for a long time: we have to be perfect from the beginning. This is false. It could not be further from the truth. Please do not listen to this inner voice.

Set realistic expectations, sure, but do NOT let this perfectionist mindset keep you from doing things you are passionate about — like performing a song, writing a story, or drawing your first concept (I am not a visual artist, but I hope this last one makes sense).

Getting feedback from peers can help you grow. Those who are most passionate about your creative outlet will be able to provide you with the best takeaways. Be open to critiques and soak up feedback like a sponge — then wring out all the comments not aligning with your vision.

Sometimes, what we view as “failure” is a strength in disguise because we can leverage what works inside and outside our respective audiences. Don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback, and embrace it. If you want to make a difference in your growth, ask for constructive criticism from someone who cares about your creative niche.

Set realistic and unrealistic goals

Goal setting can make or break your discipline, motivation, and confidence, especially if you struggle to latch onto something to make it all worthwhile. Consider setting all the goals you can to gauge what is possible.

Being told to set realistic goals is the advice given to most creatives, but exploring what it looks like can be more exhausting than productive in the beginning. If you set goals without all this preplanning, like how to manage them, you can begin to measure the likelihood of reaching those goals, and eventually add constraints.

Goals that look or sound unrealistic start to become possible. I have a bandmate tell me we should be setting up gigs a couple of months down the road, even if we are not prepared to play.

This gives me a goal framed as unrealistic now, but realistic in the short or long-term future.

Conclusion

Every moment we have to fail or experiment, is a reward in disguise. We can be met with this urge to give in to discouragement, but why let it run its course?

We each have plenty to feel fulfilled about if we let go of these mind games we play with ourselves: doubt and fear. Fight that complacency. It does not serve or suit you.

I hope this short guide will come in handy during tough times.

If you or another artist you know is looking for a spotlight piece, contact me at kos.maximillien@gmail.com.