https://youtu.be/snCA8bN_M5A

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Embracing Your Creative Journey

In this episode of Second Verse, host Becky Boyland explores the impacts of imposter syndrome on indie music artists and the ways it hinders their creative journeys. Becky shares her personal stories and insights from interviews with fellow artists to shed light on the pervasive nature of doubt as they navigate their second act in music. The episode delves into mindset challenges, offering three practical shifts: reframing fear, finding connection over comparison, and rooting identity in story, not stats. Becky emphasizes the importance of embracing one's authenticity and pushing through self-doubt to share one's art with the world. Tune in for actionable insights, motivational anecdotes, and strategies to overcome creative fears.

Connect with Becky Boyland:

• https://beckyboyland.com
• https://instagram.com/beckyboyland
• https://tiktok.com/beckyboyland
• https://facebook.com/beckyboylandmusic

Sponsors:

• Attitude Creativity: https://attitudecreativity.com/blueprint

Featured Song:

• ”Washed Away” by Becky Boyland, written by Becky Boyland & Rick Molloy. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Related Episodes:

• Rick Molloy: https://youtu.be/AVowKYaPprU
• Bob Strachan: https://youtu.be/-YO_REsMHRs
• Greig Watts: https://youtu.be/jqO8KXZ9LUQ
• Bree Noble: https://youtu.be/vMHK04GMNpk
• Benjamin Kintisch: https://youtu.be/tJKaNe4EFDc
• Kelly Hastings: https://youtu.be/sth9eXvXbdM

Timestamps:

• 00:00 SPONSOR: Attitude Creativity
• 01:19 Episode Intro: Imposter Syndrome
• 02:45 Why We Feel Like Imposters
• 06:15 How Imposter Syndrome Shows Up for Creatives
• 08:06 Three Shifts that Help You Push Through
• 13:44 Coda
• 15:14 Featured Song: "Washed Away" by Becky Boyland

Songs from the Second Verse Podcast Playlist:

• Stream all the released music from Second Verse any time! Add the official Songs from the Second Verse Podcast playlist to your Spotify now! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5lPUAY9uBYVVg9fmy03Bj3?si=5211c2db80334285

Starting your own podcast? Sign up with Captivate to host your show today! https://fas.st/t/ZHbLxEpe (affiliate link)

SPONSOR: ATTITUDE CREATIVITY

Becky Boyland: Second Verse is sponsored by Attitude Creativity.

Many indie music artists don't have a website that grows their audience and reflects who they are, so they get lost in the noise of streaming. Marketing and brand messaging with Attitude Creativity helps boost your brand and build a site that hits all the right notes. You wanna be an artist who stands out from the crowd, and to do that, you need your music to be heard.

If your website doesn't reflect who you are or make an impact, you feel like a singer who's been handed a pair of drumsticks instead of a mic. You deserve a website and brand messaging you can be proud of, and that doesn't take time away from your music. As an artist like you, I understand how overwhelming websites and marketing can be, and that's why putting on my other creative hat, I put my decades of marketing and development experience to work for you.

You'll no longer have to apologize for your website. You'll look and feel like a professional with a custom StoryBranded website you can be proud of. And right now you can get a headstart with my free downloadable EPK blueprint and start building your electronic press kit to promote your music. Head to attitudecreativity.com/blueprint to get your copy.

That's Attitude, A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E creativity.com/blueprint.

EPISODE INTRO: IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Becky Boyland: Have you ever had that moment, that one right before you hit publish or step up to the mic, when a voice in your head whispers, "Who do you think you are?" Yeah, me too.

I think back to my first full-time music ministry job, I was fresh out of seminary and had a lot of volunteer experience, but at every weekly staff meeting I was teased for being 25.

How deflating is that? You start to wonder what it takes to be taken seriously and you start to feel like an imposter. But that wasn't the last time I'd feel that way.

I eventually learned that imposter syndrome doesn't go away when you become more skilled or experienced. It shows up when you start doing something that matters.

I'm Becky Boyland, and this is Second Verse, the podcast celebrating independent artists who are rewriting their stories and finding their way back to music. Today we're starting a series of episodes dealing with some of our biggest mindset challenges as artists, beginning with a deep dive into imposter syndrome, why it sneaks up on us, how it shows up in our creative lives, and a few things that have helped me and a lot of the artists I've interviewed to push through.

So if that self-doubt has been getting a little too loud lately, this one's for you.

WHY WE FEEL LIKE IMPOSTERS

Becky Boyland: Imposter syndrome can make sense when we're young and brand new at something: in a job, raising kids, or even picking up a weekend sport. We know that with time and experience, we'll pick up the skills that make us feel like we've got this.

But when it comes to our creativity, imposter syndrome has a way of creeping in right when we start to stretch, to take our passion seriously again. When we start to imagine that maybe, just maybe, our story still has another verse. Doubt tries to take hold and convince us we don't have any idea what we're doing.

In season one, here's what my guest Bob Strachan said about this.

Bob Strachan: When we're made free by the truth, that lie has no bearing on us anymore. It's the same thing, for imposter syndrome or, whatever. "I'm not musical." "I'm not artistic." A lot of these things were put on us as kids or whoever, "Oh you'll never be able to make it in this." These are all lies that have been told to us that we have to shed to be able to do that.

Becky Boyland: For a lot of second act artists, there's this extra wrinkle we might remember the person we used to be. The younger version who played open mics or toured or wrote songs into the wee hours, and suddenly we compare that version of ourselves to who we are now: juggling jobs, families, responsibilities. And it's easy to think, "I missed my chance."

But that's not imposter syndrome talking about skill, that's fear talking about timing. And fear is sneaky. It doesn't always say, "You're not good enough." Sometimes it says, "You're too late." But does creativity have an expiration date? Greig Watts told me it's action that counts.

Greig Watts: One of the things we always say is, imperfect action is better than perfect inaction. If you stand still, nothing's gonna happen. If you move, at least you're going in a direction.

Becky Boyland: We also live in a world that constantly amplifies comparison. It's impossible not to notice other artists who seem to have everything figured out. The perfect branding, the steady releases, the followers. You see that and think, "They must really know what they're doing." Meanwhile, you're staring at your screen wondering which version of your bio sounds least awkward.

Here's the truth. Those people, you're comparing yourself to. They're probably feeling it too. I heard it from legendary songwriters with hundreds of song credits, and in fact, so many guests I've talked to on this show from people with viral hits to lifelong performers have mentioned some version of this feeling.

Bree Noble talked about finding confidence through community. Despite his professional training, Ben Kintisch knew he was making a leap into musical theater production even before he had experience in it. And Kelly Hastings literally stepped back into music through competitions, which was definitely scary at first.

Every single story reminds me that imposter syndrome is part of the creative process. It's almost a sign you're heading in the right direction. And stepping into your creative journey is stepping into a new identity. It's natural to have some cognitive dissonance and wonder who the real you is. The problem is when it tries to hold you back.

HOW IMPOSTER SYNDROME SHOWS UP FOR CREATIVES

Becky Boyland: Here's how I see imposter syndrome most often in myself and in other artists. Sometimes it looks like procrastination disguised as preparation. We say things like, "I just wanna get the mix right," or "I'll release it once the website's perfect," or "I need to get all my kick drum samples organized so I can grab just the right sample."

I call this worrying a song to death. What we really mean is, "I'm scared."

"I'm scared this will sound terrible, and I'll be found out," or "I'm scared to put this out and be seen." Raise your hand if you've ever had 47 draft versions of a single demo titled "Final_Final_RealThisTime_IMeanIt.wav." I know, right?

Then sometimes imposter syndrome looks like downplaying our wins. You get a positive review, have a great show, or even get a sync placement, and instead of celebrating, you brush it off: "Oh, that's nice, but not that big a deal." You think it's a fluke and will never happen again.

And sometimes it shows up as isolation. You avoid reaching out or collaborating or joining communities because you think you need to prove yourself first.

What's worse is when imposter syndrome leads to not starting at all.

I've done just about every one of these things, and for me, the hardest part was realizing that no amount of external validation could fix that internal narrative. You can't out achieve imposter syndrome. You just have to stand up and walk right through it.

THREE SHIFTS THAT HELP YOU PUSH THROUGH

Becky Boyland: I wanna share three mindset shifts that have made the biggest difference for me. They're not quick fixes, but they're helpful strategies to refocus, overcome fears, and the lies we tell ourselves and set ourselves up for growth and future success. Shift number one is to reframe the fear. Fear isn't proof that you're a fraud. It's proof you care.

A couple months before my spine surgery, I joined a mentorship program so I could learn from professional artists and producers how to grow my skills in the industry. My first Zoom calls were well scary. Who did I think I was? But my mentors were so kind and supportive, and I was feeling good.

Then when I lost my voice because of the surgery and had to start rebuilding it, I'll never forget the first time I shared my first track with my "new" voice. I thought the vocal was anything but polished, but I also knew it was so meaningful as a comeback from what I'd been through the feedback? They loved it. Because it was authentic.

It's natural to feel our nerves, whether we're building or rebuilding our music, and at the same time, it should be an exciting next step on the journey. It should make us feel alive and recognize we're building something impactful. Brené Brown writes in her book Atlas of the Heart, "Anxiety and excitement feel the same, but how we interpret and label them can determine how we experience them."

So next time that fear shows up, try saying, "Oh, hi. You must be here because I'm doing something that matters."

Shift number two is to find connection, not comparison. The cure for imposter syndrome isn't perfection. It's connection. When we isolate, that inner critic gets louder, but when we surround ourselves with people who see us, people who remind us what we're capable of, that voice starts to calm down.

I've become a big fan of The Great British Baking Show (and The Great American Baking Show), and while it is a competitive show, the contestants are so supportive of each other, encouraging one another and building lasting friendships. The shows famously do not have a cash prize, so it really is for the love of the experience, baking great food, and possibly earning the coveted cake stand.

But being artists in community can and should be a lot like that. And that's been one of the coolest side effects of hosting Second Verse. Every time I talk with another artist who's navigating the same path, who's rediscovering their creative identity or balancing it with real life, I'm reminded that when we're rooting for each other, we see our own potential.

Comparison shouts at us to be more, to do more, to post more. Connection stands beside us, looking in a mirror, pointing out and celebrating who we already are, and are on the way to becoming. So seek out feedback circles, co-writing groups, and small audiences to perform for. Let people reflect your own growth back to you so that you can believe it.

And then shift number three, root your identity in story, not stats. This one ties into my marketing and branding world, but it's deeply personal too. When you know why you create, you stop chasing validation. Obviously numbers do reflect real people, or at least mostly. That's your audience. And it's important, of course, to have an audience if you wanna grow your music beyond a hobby.

But the numbers don't always paint an accurate picture of the value of what you do. And chasing those numbers isn't just bad for your mental health, it's bad for your art. When you don't see the numbers you want or you expect you might be tempted to do one of two things.

You might hide behind your imposter syndrome and stop making art altogether, and that's a tragedy.

Or you might take shortcuts to make music that isn't authentic to you, whether that's using AI instead of your own creativity to write your lyrics or trying to sound or write like other artists without putting your own soul into your music. But when you focus on your why, the numbers don't define your value anymore. You realize your art has purpose beyond algorithms.

That's what the StoryBrand framework calls clarifying your message. You see, your authentic art solves an emotional problem for someone they might be happy and need a song to celebrate or sad and need a song to either lift them up or make their pain feel heard. When you root your identity at the point where your story meets your listener's story, imposter syndrome loses its grip because your focus shifts from, "Am I enough?" to, "Who can I serve through my music?"

That clarity is freeing, and it's actually what we'll dive into next time: how to clarify your message as an artist.

CODA

Becky Boyland: So if you've been hearing that inner voice whispering that you're not enough or shouting it from the inner rooftops, I want you to know you are not an imposter for caring deeply about your art. You feel that way because you're stretching, growing, and doing something brave.

Your second verse isn't about proving you belong. It's about becoming who you already are, and that's actually a process. So take that next small step. Share the demo, post the clip, finish the song. Don't wait for permission. You already have it. And if today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear your story, those moments when you pushed through that imposter voice and kept creating anyway. You can share it at secondversepod.com/shareyourstory. Your story might be exactly what another artist needs to hear.

In the next episode, we'll talk about one of the best ways to quiet that inner critic by getting crystal clear on your artist message and how to tell your story with confidence.

Stay tuned to hear my song "Washed Away," co-written with my guest from the very first episode of Second Verse, Rick Molloy.

Until next time, keep creating, keep showing up and chasing your Second Verse. Your best lines might still be unwritten.

FEATURED SONG: "WASHED AWAY" BY BECKY BOYLAND