How to Deal With Imposter Syndrome As an Artist

Do you ever feel like you don't belong in the art community and don't deserve the recognition you get for your work? If constant self-doubt, anxiety and the fear of being exposed as a "fake" keep following you, you might be suffering from a so-called imposter syndrome. And It is surprisingly common among creatives!

What is an imposter syndrome?

Put shortly, imposter syndrome refers to one’s inability to acknowledge their own achievements and success even despite countless signs that justify it. People experiencing this syndrome often feel like regardless of how hard they work, the results they get are not sufficient enough, followed by the sense of not belonging and feeling like a fraud - hence the name of the syndrome.

What exactly causes it?

The roots of imposter syndrome go deep into our subconsciousness, building upon core beliefs about ourselves and the world around, as well as habitual ways of thinking that we develop. A big role is played by judgement and pressure that we find ourselves under - both from ourselves and society. In the end it is a combination of factors, such as lack of self-confidence and perfectionism that makes one question their own worth - especially in art and other creative industries, where success is hard to define and measure.  

When we talk about those factors there are a few that seem to play a defining role:

Unrealistic standards

It is honestly heart-breaking how many people overwork themselves striving for perfection, and most of the time we are the ones who sets ourselves unachievable standards. Naturally, we want to see the results of our work fast, yet when we don’t we tend to attribute it to our lack of skill and commitment. To fix that we work even more, and the cycle repeats, until we reach the point of absolute exhaustion.

Sometimes it is the society around us that sets the benchmark (or so we think, since in the end it is still us who perceives a standard as relevant and takes on the challenge). It is very tempting to look up to other artists in the industry and try to repeat their success journey, which brings we to the next factor.

Comparison

They say comparison is a thief of joy, and if you have ever found yourself scrolling on social media and resenting yourself for not being as good as all those amazing artists in your feed, you know the feeling.

You see, comparing of any sort doesn’t really make sense. Not only might you be on different timelines with other artists, your backgrounds are entirely different. You grew up in different social contexts, accumulated different skills and knowledge, interacted with different people and developed passion for and interest in different things. All of these and many more factors influence the way you see and process the world, and as a consequence, the kind of art you make and the message you are conveying through it.

Moreover, often when comparing we focus on whatever skills or talents we do not have. We rarely compare what others are good at with what we are good at, but rather use their greatness to highlight our lack of such. The trap of this mindset lies in the fact that according to such logic we will never be satisfied with ourselves, since there will always be someone who in our eyes appears better and more talented. You will also create a thinking pattern of always recalling negative things about yourself as opposed to positive things about others.

Survivorship bias

There is another problem with comparison, which is that we tend to hear success stories more than we do failure stories (a psychological effect known as survivorship bias). Especially on social media where algorithm prioritises and further boosts already popular posts, highly successful artists tend to get more exposure. As a result, when comparing yourself to people you see in your feed, you might actually be putting yourself against very experienced creatives who have been in the industry for years. In reality, of course, there are hundreds of thousands of aspiring, beginner artists, who are going through the same struggles and doubt their own progress just as you do.

Self-doubt

Self-doubt and lack of confidence are another pillar of the imposter syndrome and a problem in itself. Unfortunately for many of us it is an inherent trait going back to our childhoods, where it emerged for various reasons and stayed with us through later phases in life. Logically, it is going to take a long time and a lot of effort to dismantle that belief system and cultivate a healthy attitude towards yourself and your abilities.

The positive thing about it is that self-confidence gets reinforced whenever we achieve a goal, or succeed in something. However, when it comes to the imposter syndrome, people tend to overlook their accomplishments and diminish that sense of self-fulfilment. This is why it is so important to consciously celebrate every milestone and praise yourself for the steps you make in your art journey.

There will also be moments when things aren’t going great, and it is probably the hardest part about building self-confidence. For example, as an artist you might try to start your own business from scratch and it might take a while to set it up and find your target audience. For moments like this you need to have unconditional hope and belief in your own abilities, since it can be really challenging to deal with negative thoughts when nothing is working out.

What are the remedies against imposter syndrome?

1. Actively prevent negative self-talk. It is all about rewiring neural connections in your brain that make you doubt yourself in a very habitual way. Set yourself a rule, that from now on statements like ‘I will never be this good’, ‘I am not talented enough’, ‘I am lazy’ etc. are simply not allowed in your mind. Try to break them mid-sentence the moment you catch yourself falling into this pattern. Instead write down a list of things you have learned and achieved since you started practising art or any other creative activity. Re-read this list every time you feel like reverting to self-doubt and self-judgement.
2. Limit your time on social media. Although useful and enjoyable in many ways, social platforms can be harmful especially if you are prone to comparing yourself to others. It is okay to get inspired by fellow artists from time to time, but stay mindful to not get overwhelmed.
3. Set yourself small and achievable tasks. This will not only give you that sense of accomplishment that is necessary to boost your self-confidence, but will actually bring you to your goals faster through the power of consistency.
4. Share your worries with friends or fellow artists. Sometimes all you need is support and reassurance from someone who understands what you are going through, and even though it often feels like you are all alone in your experience, there are so many people who are going through the exact same thing.

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