Are you a singer looking for ways to overcome imposter syndrome?

You work hard on your voice. Maybe you’ve gotten positive feedback about your singing. But you still feel anxious about putting yourself out there, not good enough, not like a “real” singer.  Maybe the next performance will be the one where everyone finds out you’re a fraud. 

This was me when I was younger. Despite formal training and years of experience, I still didn’t feel worthy of my dreams, or like a peer among other musicians. I needed help to overcome imposter syndrome. I got it. And now I’m passing on what I’ve learned to you.

overcome imposter syndrome

What is imposter syndrome?

A singer with imposter syndrome may:

  • Experience chronic doubt in his/her abilities.
  • Live with a persistent fear of being discovered as a fraud. 
  • Have feelings of inadequacy despite evidence to the contrary.
  • Be convinced that their successes are the result of luck, timing, or even a mistake made by those giving accolades.
  • Talk themselves out of beneficial experiences to avoid possibly being outed as a fraud.

(What did I miss? What do you experience?)

Why you want to overcome imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is one of several inner demons that has the potential to kill your singing dream. 

  • It stops singers from taking advantage of (or creating) career enhancing opportunities. 
  • It becomes an obstacle standing between you of your best performances.
  • It becomes an obstacle between you and your happiness.
  • Constantly fighting this demon is exhausting and stressful.
  • If left unchecked, it can lead to burnout and the surrender of your dream.

The first step to taking back your power from this inner “imposter” is recognizing it’s there. So let me start by saying, good for you for finding and reading this! 

There are many layers to learning to manage this demon. The three steps I’m about to discuss are a great starting place. At the end of this article, I’ll give you a super effective (and easy, and free) way to dive deeper.

3 Ways for Singers to Begin to Overcome Imposter Syndrome.

  1. Recognize that your "fraud" feelings are just feelings, and that does not make them accurate. Even if you want to improve your skills, you are still not a fraud today. You are a worthy singer on a journey of improvement. Consider getting feedback from someone you trust… a vocal coach maybe. That person will help you appreciate your strengths and make a gameplan to develop your weaknesses, 
  2. Know that you’re not alone. About 70% of people experience some form of imposter syndrome. Think of that. If you’re on stage with ten people, seven of them probably have or have had imposter feelings just like you. Maybe even that singer that you’re intimidated by and a little jealous of!
  3. Never make perfection the goal. Perfection is the enemy of growth, happiness, and art. It’s also an unattainable goal, which means striving for it only fuels that inner imposter when you can’t reach it. Instead, strive for progress. Little wins equal big successes! 

These mindset shifts are a great place to start, but I promised you more. Well, here it is!

I've got a super effective (and easy and free) way for you to gain a deeper understanding of imposter syndrome.

It's a quiz designed to help you better understand how much this phenomenon impacts you, complete with explanations and suggestions for taking back your power from your inner "imposter." 

The quiz is just ten questions and includes a results page you can bookmark and return to repeatedly as you work to manage this challenge. You got this!

About the Author

Judy Fine

Judy Fine is a vocal, performance, & confidence coach. Her specialty is helping adults who fear that maybe the best adventures in life are behind them build the confidence to turn old dreams into new goals, and keep life's adventures ahead.


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