Being an artist can be a lonely life. Many of us are introverts, including me. I rarely share my inner thoughts with other people, but this time let's be honest!

Have you ever felt a fear that one day, everyone will discover that you aren’t as great as you think you are? (Even that's not true!) Believe me. Everyone can be great in their own way! But you can't help thinking about it. It may lead to comparison with others in your field, or your own lack of education compared to your superiors.

If you have a bad feeling about this, worry not! It's important to remember that you are not alone. Me too!

Regardless of what kind of work I do, it can be tough to feel like I'm “good enough.” I often find myself feeling this way. I’ve been in this freelance artist career for many years, but this feeling is still with me all the time. I’ve learned to recognize that I’m experiencing imposter syndrome.

 

 

What Is Imposter Syndrome In Artist?

Imposter syndrome is a condition where artists feel like they're not good enough, despite evidence to the contrary. It's characterized by insecurity and self-doubt and can be triggered by praise or success. Artists with imposter syndrome often fear that they'll be exposed as frauds and feel like they don't deserve the success they've achieved. It can lead to low self-esteem.

I always get this feeling after many years of being an artist. Even now, I still have a strong sense of impostor syndrome, but I can deal with it better!

Here are some advice I've learned from my experience as an artist that could be helpful. Be the best artist you can be by taking these ideas into consideration!

 

#1 Remember, It’s Not a Problem or Illness

Research shows that 70% of people may suffer from imposter syndrome. This thing happens to almost everyone including me. Just learn to live with it and go through even the imposter syndrome is there. If there's no way to get rid of this feeling, just thrive with it!

 

#2 Focus on the Present YOU!

Looking at the right thing. Focus on yourself in the present. Don't wait to be ready or to know everything before starting something.

You don't have to have 10K followers to start selling your commissioned art.

You don't have to be an expert artist to start posting on social media.

Just start it as soon as it's possible and don't let the self-doubt break it. This feeling is still there. Yes, it won't disappear. But you can choose to try it out. Let's start it even if you feel unready.

We all need experience and time to grow, but how can we grow if we just let that imposter syndrome stop us before starting everything?

 

#3 Stop Comparing Yourself to Other Artists

When you're an artist, it's easy to compare yourself to other artists. Their success is nothing to do with you and go at your own pace. Especially try not to compare yourself with others who have more experiences than you. Don’t compare your day 1 with anybody else’s year 5 or 10. Everything takes time to get to that place. The key is focusing on your own development!

 

#4 No Need to be Perfect

Something is better than nothing. We often aim for perfection. We run ourselves ragged trying to have the perfect artwork, the reputation, …the perfect everything. But we forget that we all make mistakes. It's a fact of life.

This insecurity can lead us to doubt our talent and abilities, and we may cope by trying to perfectionism or overworking ourselves. (Oh this is me! 😭) The important thing to remember is that it's not the end of the world. And if you can learn from your mistakes, you can move forward and do better.

That's all of my tips for you to deal with imposter syndrome as an artist! The best way to beat imposter syndrome is to live with it and remind yourself that everything is imperfect, and that's okay. Accepting your own imperfections is the first step to live with self-doubt. It doesn't need to be as daunting as you think. Embrace it and don't let it hold you back!