According to the wisdom of the Internet, Imposter Syndrome is a persistent, unjustified feeling that one’s success is fraudulent. Imposter syndrome is characterized by doubt in one’s abilities—despite a record of achievement or respect from one’s peers—and a fear of having one’s unworthiness exposed.
Have you ever felt like an imposter in the voice-over industry? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say all of us have, at least at some point.
It’s easy to compare yourself to someone who looks like they are moving faster, shining brighter, and seemingly has it all together. However, I hate to break it to you, that even those who look like rock stars doubt themselves. I’ve had success in the voice-over industry with national spots, One Voice award nominations (five of them, but who’s counting?), and repeat clients… and I still feel like an imposter at times.
When bookings are slow, or I see a voice-over colleague posting about their latest big booking, I feel less than, unworthy, and definitely doubt my abilities. My insides feel like screaming, “WHY NOT ME?” and “OF COURSE IT’S NOT ME!” all at the same time.
How do we combat this? Reading this article is a good start!
If a friend or colleague were to start talking badly about themselves, you wouldn’t hesitate to stop them, beg to differ, and start a laundry list of all the reasons they are worthy and fantastic.
Guess what? We can do the same thing for ourselves.
When your imposter syndrome starts creeping in, remind yourself of your fantastic traits, but in third person. Speak to yourself as if you were the friend you need. When I doubt my abilities, I say, “Hey, don’t talk about my friend that way. She is a hard worker, with a history of happy clients, spots she is proud of, and colleagues who respect her. She networks, invests in coaching, and keeps growing and learning.”
Try it for yourself. What encouragement can you give? Write it down and remind yourself how much you have to offer. Even if you are new to the voice-over game, you are not an imposter. You are just new! We were all new once. Most clients don’t care if you are new; they just want good work from an easily directable talent that’s on time. Don’t be afraid of being “exposed” as a fresh new voice.
Okay, so we did our self-help activity, now what?
Now we make a plan because action moves us forward and gives us power. We aren’t the kind of freelance creatives who sit on our thumbs and moan about nothing going our way. We are go-getters who look at our goals and find ways to get there. I have found that nothing cures my self-doubt quicker than taking action.
This past year I was feeling like I was in a slump, so I decided to add another tool to my toolbox and build on my Voice of God/Live Event Announcement skills, go to Auction school, and become an Auctioneer.
And boy, do I feel like an imposter. Because I’m new and I don’t have much to back up my work except a state-issued license.
How do I overcome these icky feelings that I don’t belong? I make a plan. I’ve joined Toastmasters to improve my public speaking, I’m shadowing other auctioneers to watch them work, and I’m watching tape like a football player before a game, seeing how auctioneers I admire work a crowd. I add “work on numbers chant” to my daily calendar and practice in front of the mirror.
The same can be done for voice-over specific work. Want to work in a new niche? Well, it’s going to take some effort, but get in the game, get coaching, invest in your talent, and listen to pros. Taking action builds confidence, and imposter syndrome hates confident people because they shake their finger like Dikembe Mutombo and say, “NOT IN THIS HOUSE.”
Adios, imposter syndrome! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry, sign up here!
