Breaking the cycle of imposter syndrome begins within
How do you ever know when you’re truly good enough? That’s the question I’ve asked myself throughout my entire school career.
When someone asks me to tell them about myself, I hesitate to call myself a writer, photographer, or artist of any sort. I might mention that writing and photography are a few of my hobbies every once in a while if I feel comfortable enough to share, but usually these aren’t topics I like bringing up, because what if it comes across as bragging? And what if the people who think I’m bragging don’t think I’m entitled to my arrogance because they don’t think I’m any good?
I often catch myself comparing my work with the work of others. However, I’ve come to realize that the comparison isn’t fair because all photographers have different styles and their own goals that they are trying to achieve with their photos. There will always be artists who are more skilled than you, but you are the only one who produces your unique style of art. And if you feel envious of someone else’s skill, take that energy and use it as motivation to learn more and improve your own work.
It’s taken years of self-reflection for me to get to the point where I can be proud of myself for what I’ve accomplished. But at what point do I transition from an amateur to a professional? How do I decide what to price my work at? There are still a lot of questions I don’t know the answer to, though I’m starting to find them as my confidence in my skill grows.
I still experience self-doubt, but instead of asking myself: “Am I good enough?” I now ask: “How can I become even better?”
Moving forward in my career, I will keep reminding myself that someone else’s work does not discount my own. As long as I believe in the quality of my work, I can be proud to call myself an artist. And if you’re an artist too — whether you’re self-taught or you’re just beginning your career — I hope you know that you deserve to be proud of your art as it is today because it represents a step in what could be a very fulfilling lifelong journey.
Feature photo: During the summer of 2018, I had the unbelievable opportunity to photograph at three different festivals: Hillside in Guelph, the (final) Warped Tour in Toronto, and Riverfest Elora. This photo of July Talk at Riverfest is my favourite image that I’ve ever taken and I’m a little bewildered that it’s mine, but I’m extremely proud of it. Photo by Karen K. Tran