Being a musician has its upsides. For one, musicians get to experience the numerous health benefits that music brings. Also, you have the power to potentially bring joy to other people using your musical abilities. It is a fun skill to have, especially if you are trying to break into the music or entertainment industry.
But most of the time, good musicians want to be great musicians. This is most especially true for those who have music as a career. They want to be the best because this is their passion and their livelihood.
Given that most musicians fail to build a successful career in music, it’s safe to say that the road to being the best at your craft is not for the faint of heart. There are huge challenges that every musician must overcome to be successful. This includes mental struggles that are crucial for success in any field.
Feelings of Insecurity
Feelings of insecurity are characterized by feelings of doubt about your own skills. Your confidence and self-esteem may suffer when you are insecure about your musicianship. This can be common in an industry saturated with people who are driven by passion.
Insecurity may start from too much upward comparison. When a musician witnesses a better musician, they may compare themselves to these better musicians. They may perceive that they will never be as good as them. This can then lead to feelings of envy and a sense of low self-esteem.
Past failures may also cause feelings of insecurity. Failure and rejection make you question your abilities. Questioning your abilities may mean that you do not think you are good enough to make it.
The Impostor Syndrome
Musicians also happen to suffer from Impostor Syndrome. This happens when you don’t feel as good as others think you are. This may happen to musicians who were always deemed as good for a very long time. When they feel like they are not as good as others, they may question their talent.
These are just a few of the mental and emotional trials that musicians face. Though these can prove to be challenging, there are ways to combat them.
What You Can Do
Practice Often
Make a habit of religiously practicing your craft. One source of doubt is perceiving that you are not good enough. By practicing often, you are conditioning your body and mind through repetitions and constant engagement with your craft. This makes sure that your skills stay sharp.
If you’re a guitar player who feels like your skills aren’t enough, you can get advanced guitar lessons to hone your craft. Aspiring pianists can practice every day to make sure they know where to place their hands when playing a piece. Whatever instrument you play, consistent practice will only make you better.
The thing about practice is you have to commit to it. You cannot progress if you keep delaying your training or are inconsistent with it. Set a regular schedule for which you can practice and stick to it.
Creating Realistic Goals
Don’t get ahead of yourself when you think about your goals. Make sure to set goals that are achievable within a certain period. With realistic goals, you are making sure that you can achieve them.
Success in music is not something you can achieve in just one night. It is a long process of setting one realistic goal after another.
Focus On Your Development
When you are trying to make it into the music or entertainment industry, there can be a lot of noise that can distract you from achieving your best self. Make sure you learn how to drown these distractions out.
This can also be applied to one’s tendencies of comparing themselves to other people. You cannot expect that there is no one better than you. So expect that you will compare yourself to those whom you think are superior.
Upward comparison can be a good thing if you look at their best qualities and try to emulate them. Other than that, comparing yourself to others won’t do you much good.
Focus on you and your abilities. And trust that you will improve. Give it time and consistent effort.
Overcoming your self-doubt is not easy, especially when passion is involved. If you start doubting yourself and your skills, it may be hard for you to develop because you are afraid to know what happens if you try again.
Know that being a great musician is a dream worth chasing. So keep pushing until you get to where you want to be.