Do You Feel Like a Fraud on Stage? Conquering Imposter Syndrome as a Musician

You've put in the hours of practice. You’re an accomplished and experienced musician.

But somehow you can't ignore the incessant chatter of your mind:

• What if I mess up?

• What if they realise I don’t belong here?

• What if I finally get found out? 

Symptoms of Imposter Syndrome in Musicians

Imposter syndrome is extremely prevalent in successful musicians. But it can be devastating to your career.

It's often most present in high-achieving musicians and those in the public eye. It usually goes hand-in-hand with self-doubt, fear of failure and other self-limiting beliefs and behaviours.

Imposter syndrome plays out differently in each person, but the most typical signs and symptoms share a common thread:

• You might appear outwardly successful, confident and highly capable to others, but inside, you have self-doubt and fear being "found out"

  
  

• You feel like a fraud on stage, despite clear evidence of your success.

  
  

• You’re highly skilled at what you do, yet you fear you might fail.

  
  

• Your critical voice seems to grow the more successful you become.

You might become expert at hiding what you’re feeling. As an experienced professional musician, you probably ask yourself:

Why is this happening to me?

And you have every reason to wonder.

But you might be relieved to know that there's a logical explanation for imposter syndrome. And knowing this can start to relieve some of that pressure.

The Neuroscience of Imposter Syndrome

As a professional musician, imposter syndrome can be confusing. But the first thing to understand is that it's not a sign of your worth.

Neither is it a sign that something's wrong with you.

Imposter syndrome is a subconscious pattern.

And patterns can be rewired.

Awareness is the beginning of changing that pattern.

Discover where imposter syndrome and other hidden subconscious patterns sit on the Fearless Musician™ Pathway. — and how to begin shifting them into flow.

Performance Patterns of Self-Doubt and Fear of Failure

Imposter syndrome tends to play out in musicians in either a repressive or reactive way.

Repressive Patterns

On the repressive side sits self-doubt – one of imposter syndrome’s most trusted allies. It’s so much a part of it, that it can be hard to untangle the two.

Forming a toxic partnership, self-doubt helps to validate the existence of its limiting partner by actively seeking the flaws in your competence, your abilities and your performance.

It might seem negatively-charged, but it's actually a protection mechanism - designed to keep you safe.

Inadvertently, imposter syndrome creates the very fear you are trying to avoid. It can begin to erode your confidence - desperate to prove you really are an imposter.

In this way, a perfect negative spiral is created.

(You might be curious to explore more about how this works in my article: Music Performance Anxiety Explained).

Reactive Patterns

The reactive side of imposter syndrome in musicians can be linked to fear of failure.

It might push you to overcompensate.

Maybe you over-practise. Focus only on your weaknesses. Over-challenge yourself. Push yourself through pain.

Become enticed by unhealthy competition.

These reactive behaviours can only work to a degree. They cannot be maintained. Eventually, something has to give.

Inevitably, both the repressive and reactive patterns of imposter syndrome usually lead to burnout, fatigue, anxiety and stress.

And these are often a precursor to music performance anxiety.

When Imposter Syndrome Becomes Music Performance Anxiety

Imposter syndrome can be a challenge for many musicians. Left unchecked, it can exacerbate existing music performance anxiety, and even create it.

Discover how imposter syndrome and other hidden subconscious patterns influence your performance anxiety with my 3-minute quiz. It reveals your most dominant patterns - and shows you how to begin shifting them right away.

Imposter syndrome often thrives on perfectionism and comparison:

Striving to be that pianist who never misses a note.

Setting yourself impossible standards to live up to flawless recordings. Comparing yourself to the musician who makes even the most complex pieces look effortless.

But when you measure yourself like this or constantly strive for an unhealthy level of perfection, your mind will respond to that pressure through a survival lens.

It will:

• Try to back-up your belief that you really are an imposter.

• Search for proof that validates your feelings of not being good enough.

A single mistake on stage becomes confirmation that you’re a fraud.

A missed opportunity feels like failure, rather than part of the journey.

Deep down you know this isn't an accurate representation of your true capabilities as a musician, but imposter syndrome makes you believe it’s real.

It's trying to protect you from judgement, failure, and shame.

But in doing so, it can drive your fear of failure into action.

Maybe you really do mess up, let yourself down, or hold yourself back in some way.

And each time you hear the voice of your inner imposter, it cements your self-limiting beliefs. This is because you're wired to fiercely defend these beliefs, especially if the evidence suggests they are true.

The negative loop seals itself into a habitual pattern. Before you know it, you begin to fear the fear itself.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Your programmed beliefs will only override the truth until you challenge them.

And change starts with separating fact from fiction.

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome as a Musician

It can be hard to realise that your imposter syndrome was not what you thought. After all, it tricked you into believing it for so long.

But what if you could start to see the truth?

Step One: Identify Limiting Beliefs

The first step to overcoming imposter syndrome as a musician is to look at the beliefs that prop it up.

What is it trying to tell you about yourself? That you’re not a capable musician? You don’t deserve success? You’re skating on thin ice?

Once you've identified your limiting beliefs, it's important to question what makes them appear true. Are they an accurate reflection of your true capabilities - or can you see them for what they really are?

Looking back on your past achievements can help with this.

The truth is - these beliefs are fiction, not facts.

They're the product of past experiences - stories you tell yourself, reinforced through past events. Perhaps they came from an innocent comment you misinterpreted, a pushy teacher or parent, or a single moment from years ago which imprinted on your memory.

When you don’t question their validity, they become your truth. But the good news is - beliefs can be changed.

I've written a deeper article exploring how hypnosis can help rewire the limiting beliefs that underpin performance anxiety here: Discover The Magic Of Hypnosis For Music Performance Anxiety.

Step Two: Recognise Your Worth

The next step to overcoming imposter syndrome is to start consciously recognising all the moments which prove you are not an imposter.

And when you look closely, there may be many memories your critical mind has blanked out.

Think of all the times you can prove your limiting beliefs to be false:

• When you achieved something you never thought you could.

• You succeeded against all odds.

• You received that recognition or thanks.

Remember all the times you touched your audience with the experience of your playing, your passion and your talent.

Step Three: The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful practice that can help you overcome imposter syndrome. When you look at your journey as a musician, can you see how far you've come and what you've already achieved? Are you grateful for being able to do what you love and bring joy to others?

Reflecting on questions like these can shift your mindset from fear to freedom. It strengthens your inner voice of encouragement and support.

When you stop believing your inner critic, you can start to rewire your brain with positive beliefs which support a more capable you.

Imagine the new empowering beliefs you can create for yourself:

I am a capable musician.

I deserve success.

I belong on stage.

I can achieve anything I put my mind to.

What beliefs could support and validate your true talent and capabilities?

This mindset work is a key focus of my self-paced programmes, Fearless Foundations™ and Fearless Musician Thrive™  - showing you how to rewire and transform imposter syndrome right at the root.

When you start to embrace your true inner voice, you’ll notice yourself consciously changing your thoughts and actions to match it. 

You'll start to see the truth.

Doubt might still whisper in the background, but it no longer has a hold over you.

So, the next time you step on stage and hear that voice telling you you’re not enough, remember this:

The real imposter is imposter syndrome itself. And it doesn’t get to have the final say.

Start Here: Identify Your Performance Patterns

Imposter syndrome is just one of the underlying patterns of performance anxiety. If you want personalised insight into how imposter syndrome and other subconscious patterns block your flow — start with the Performance Anxiety Quiz.

You'll get detailed results and a personalised roadmap to help you start shifting your patterns out of fear and into freedom:

Take The Quiz