Tips on coping with imposter syndrome?

[yozhikisblue]

Hey everyone- so I probably lurk on this forum between work hours more than is healthy, but I feel like this is a good place to ask this question. So many other creators on here have talked about their struggles with anxiety, depression and just plain old burnout. I see a lot of people reaching out for support when they feel like working on their comic is no longer worthwhile.

In my personal case, I've been taking on a pretty heavy workload lately. I struggle with some mental health stuff, so that certainly isn't helping, but one thing which constantly gets to me and I have a really hard time thinking my way out of is imposter syndrome.

It's hard to focus on drawing work I'm literally being paid to do when my mind is screaming things like "Who would pay YOU for this?" and "Wow, are they ever going to be disappointed. You're terrible!"

By the same token, The criticism in my head (I am pretty much universally my own harshest critic) rings much louder than compliments or positive feedback.

And then, the third tier of imposter syndrome- comparing yourself to others. But I doubt I need to get into that. I'm sure there isn't a single person on this forum who hasn't compared their work to somebody else at least once and thought "wow, what I am even doing here?"

Things I have tried with varying levels of success:

1. Playing music with lyrics, podcasts, youtube let's players, or something equally distracting in the background to derail the negative train of thought and get me back into a productive work mode. This works a lot better when the thing I'm listening to is something I really enjoy, but depression and anxiety tend to chip away at that, and I'm running out of material.

2. If I'm at home- getting up and doing stray chores around the apartment so I can work off all my nervous energy, even if working on a drawing seems impossible at that moment. Going through the motions of making tea or coffee sort of falls into this category too. Sometimes, this works really well. Other times, I just end up kicking myself for procrastinating.

3. Switching to drawing or writing something that I know nobody else is going to see, or at least, not for a long while yet, because this doesn't carry the same level of performance anxiety along with it. I do this one a lot, but it's probably the least helpful, especially when I have deadlines that I'm basically shirking to spend time on something unrelated.

4. Browsing social media, or pages like these forums. Often makes things worse. I should really stop doing this x')

5. Talking to friends when I can. Helpful, but not really something that's readily available when I'm in the middle of a deadline crunch. I also worry about becoming too distracted, and so tend not to reach out to the people I know quite as much when I'm supposed to be "busy" (but am actually sitting and staring at the thing I'm supposed to be working on with what I can only imagine must be a look of unbridled horror)

So what's your advice on dealing with imposter syndrome? How do you do it?

[Shanny8]

Shrugs...

I'm pretty good in certain zones with it. It doesnt really bother me on a work/ethic level- I do pretty okay when it comes to that. It does flare up when I'm getting praise & compliments on my work and I'm like "There are other artists that are better than me"- while that may be true, I really shouldnt discount my work or speak ill of it; I do work pretty hard.

Then there's times where I'm at a convention or show- I'm selling my stuff, and I kinda get this feeling like "What are you doin here?"...I kinda feel bad coz I feel like my stuff isnt worthy of being sold. Sometimes I get those thoughts out of my head, but there are times where it festers and I feel like I wanna just pack up and go home.

I've been trying to listen to some of my peers who like my work as well as some of my readers. I want to believe that I am worthy of being at the shows I've gone to and my art is good enough to sell and people enjoy my art & stories. Trying to be more positive; I do deserve a lot of the good happenings with my art & comic.

[SheiDraws]

When I was hit with the severe impostor syndrome, the thing that most helped me was talking about it with other people. The non-art folks responded with kind and loving words that reaffirmed that I'm a good artist, telling me stories about how when they showed my funny comics to their family, they all ended up laughing. The art folks, they shared their own stories of how they too were experiencing the same thing (even though they're a hundred times better than me) and tbh I find it comforting that I'm not alone in this.

Another thing I do is re-read the sweet comments people leave me on my posts just to remind myself that hey, there are people who enjoy my work.

[ZombieOwl]

I like to print out comments from readers that inspire me and remind me that there are people out there that like what I'm doing. It shows me that the time and energy I sink into my work is paying off.

Art is still a hobby for me, but I want people to enjoy my work nonetheless. Having the tangible copies of comments is a great reminder I'm doing something right

[ForLackOfStars]

I struggle with anxiety and have previously dealt with depression, so what you said definitely resonates with me. My struggles manifest a lot through negative self-talk, so thoughts like the ones you mentioned are something that I'm very familiar with.

One of the coping mechanisms I use is anthropomorphizing those thoughts. "This isn't real, this is just my brain being a jerk and telling me ugly things." It sounds silly, but I find it helpful, and it's pretty true. The only one insulting my work is the voice in my head, and that voice doesn't exist outside of the confines of my mind. Instead of being my thoughts, they become an enemy that I can fight against.

Another thing that someone taught me is to counter every self-defeating ugly thought about myself with two positive ones. That way, you can outweigh the negatives with positives. Additionally, thinking of positive things takes up the space in your head that is being used to think of negative ones. Over time, it can help form positive habits.

These are just a few of my personal coping mechanisms. Everybody has different things that work for them, and it can take some time to find what works for you. Also, I'll be the obnoxious presumptuous person who talks about how great therapy is. Therapy is great. There, I said it.

I hope this helps!

[yozhikisblue]

@Shanny8 Yeah, I know the feeling. When I'm at conventions, I usually find myself keeping too preoccupied with getting on-site commissions done in time, so it keeps the thoughts at bay- but they still lurk there during the lull, when the convention floor is relatively quiet. I'm sure if I was selling more of my own comics, as opposed to illustrations and fan art, I'd be feeling it a lot more. Keeping myself on my toes in those situations by constantly working or talking to people is really the only thing I've found that helps. I'm normally very introverted though, so this can be exhausting x)

@SheiDraws Talking to other people probably is the way to go. I guess I'm the sort of person who always worries about "bothering" someone, or sounding whiny if I complain- I'm being paid to draw things while other people who want that kind of work are at their retail jobs, so I should be happy, right? And that's coming from someone who still turns to short-term jobs unrelated to art to keep up with bills...I guess if it were a friend of mine telling me that, I'd say "no, it doesn't bother me at all!"...but it's hard to see things that way when it comes to yourself right? x')

@ZombieOwl Sounds like this is a method a few people are using! I guess I should try browsing comments- that is more tangible than remembering what people have said in person. I think the problem is imposter syndrome casts this shroud over everything you hear or read. It's easy to discount positive comments as "they're just saying that". At least for me.

@ForLackOfStars Haha don't worry, I fully agree with the usefulness of therapy! (And CBT methods, which sounds like what you're doing there) Unfortunately, therapy is expensive I have a background in psychology (seems like you do too! It's research-oriented, in my case) so it sometimes feels like I should just * know * what to do to help myself, even if it was more affordable. It's like I can't justify the price. But then I also know most practicing psychologists go to other psychologists themselves...it's an ongoing struggle with me, I guess.

[ForLackOfStars]

Ooh, true

Also, high five for fellow research-oriented psychologist!

[Jenny-Toons]

I dunno if this is something anyone has ever done before, but sometimes, I just record myself drawing on my computer.

I know not everyone will have the set-up, but I feel some type of documentary is important. Because when I record my work (with like the OBS or whatever for twitch), I like to do back and just watch what I create. Because that's me making something come to life.

That's me bringing my imagination to reality.

And...well yeah, sometimes, I do know that there are those with higher skills than me. I follow their work, and I admire them. And sometimes, it can get me down. But when I record and watch my work come to life, I begin to realize that...

Maybe someone can draw it better...but they can't draw and imagine it the way I can. And that keeps me going.

[yozhikisblue]

That sounds awesome. I like the way you think! :3

Truth be told, I don't have a recording set up. I probably should. Figuring out how to do art streams has been on my to-do list for over a year now. It never occurred to me in all that time that it could be used to counter feelings of inadequacy too.

[Cavechan]

I don't think I really have a way to deal with this. It's funny because when it comes to design I don't really feel this way. Maybe because I just decided to go into graphic design on a whim sort of for college and realized right away this was a mistake and I was terrible at it. But then I kept working at it and finally started to "get" it and now I just do it naturally. Though the work I do is much less creative and more technical.

For comics though... I like them a lot, understand them a lot and well my life has always just revolved around watching anime and reading manga, but when it comes to drawing comics I always feel this way. That I don't belong here, my work isn't good enough. As a critic, I'm painfully aware of my short comings. Just the other day I was getting so frustrated because I was having trouble drawing a hand when most times I draw them easily. I just don't have the same eye for drawing as other people and it's painful.

I don't think I have a way to cope with it though. All I can do is to keep drawing and trying and experiencing this pain. At the same time I have to draw, I also finding drawing very mentally painful.

[vfinnigan]

There are three things that I've done or that happened to me that have helped keep imposter syndrome at bay, one I don't recommend, one that requires a great deal of luck and good timing, and one that simply requires being a good friend and reaching out to good people.

1. Luck and good timing. For the first comicbook project I did that got published, I saw an announcement calling for volunteers from all over the comicbook industry. I responded. The resulting book, Untold Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan, which is sadly out of print, had little ol' me working with some very big names. I still have a copy as physical proof that somebody thought I was worthy of working with these people. And that ended up leading to other things proving people think I'm worthy. My advice here is to seize the opportunity when one comes around.

2. Spite and controversy. I really don't recommend this. It worked and still does for me, but it's really not worth the stress I endured for that extra motivation. Suffice to say, it involved a guy who put the "con" in Comic Con, a former Big Name Artist, broken contracts, blackmail, bullying, harassment, potentially damaging libel, Bleeding Cool News, threats of litigation flying everywhere, and a Very Big Name DC Artist going out of the way to call me a noob and a nobody on a very public forum.

Yes, I was a noob at the time. My first published comicbook work had just come out. Even now, I'm still paying my dues. But the very fact that some very big name pro named me and called me a nobody proves I'm actually kind of somebody. And it's motivation to continue proving that. Also, it's helped me not care so much about my status within the industry. Also, even though I've always had empathy for aspiring creators, that pretty much insured I would never treat anyone as less than worthy no matter how new they are to comics.

1. Yes, this is the third point, but it's number one in importance. Don't just be a protege to your mentor, a mentor to your proteges, a fan of your favorite creators, and so forth. Be a good friend. Because regardless of what some might say in a fit of snobbish pique, good friends, even those that don't fit in, always belong and are always worthy.

[Shanny8]

Keeping myself on my toes in those situations by constantly working or talking to people is really the only thing I've found that helps. I'm normally very introverted though, so this can be exhausting

Believe me I know the feeling. It takes a lot of energy...

[Eageali]

I write about things I'm happy about! Just like, journal entries I guess. I write about my experiences as a child, ya know, tryna catch dust when the sun shines through the window... or my recent experiences, like buying candy for myself every Thursday after my 4:00 lab, walking through the hallway looking at how dark it is outside... Just things that make me elated and content and calm. It's lame, but it really boosts my mood!

[DasIstWunderblyat]

It's not an impostor syndrome if you are actually that bad
In art and creative writing sense I never found a way to cope with it, I just think it's normal for someone of my level. I'm not acclaimed or praised much anyway

In another context (academic, science), I feel that a lot. I feel like I'm a quack biology student with empty brain and I have zero scientific interest, it's really daunting with the rigid rules and procedures. I hate it, it's not fun at all.

Many peers think I'm smart but I'm an idiot, I fail in the most ridiculous things and not what they think of me. I really hate being overestimated.

I deal with those feelings by trying to do what I can in its best, so perhaps I actually can be like that and make myself busy in another thing.

[YaoiParadise]

9 times out of 10, I conquer imposter syndrome with something close to spite. At least that's what people tell me, I think it's just brutal honesty.

Most of mine comes from having worked with a writer who had more fans than me, and being a reader who constantly sees authors on the NYTimes best seller list, etc, etc. So a lot of it comes out of comparing myself to others. It had me in a really dark place a while ago. I might have given up writing if I wasn't surfing one of my favorite creator's channels on Youtube and come across some deeply thoughtful videos.

Now, when I start to feel like I'm inferior to somebody else, I remind myself that everybody is inferior to somebody. There's always somebody better. There's somebody they look to and say 'oh my god, why do people think I'm good when that exists'. If they don't let that get to them, how dare I consider it?

I also remind myself that I don't owe anybody anything. My work doesn't have to be 'good enough' for somebody else, entertaining enough for somebody else to enjoy. It just has to be something I enjoy writing, something I'm proud of even for half a second. The only person I should ever compare myself to is myself, seeing how I change over the years and improve. Because everybody started out somewhere. We're all on a different path, some people started with natural advantages and some people work their way through the hard way. It means we're all at a different place, and comparing yourself to somebody is stupid- because they may have been doing it for years longer than you, or may have learned from somebody spectacular, etc etc.

Once upon a time, all those big name writers were where I am now. I don't have to prove that I'm as good as them because they're father in their journey. And when I had fans who felt like they needed to be as good as me, I just laughed and papped their heads and told them the best thing they could do was keep writing.

It's helped a lot to keep my head above the water when it comes to imposter syndrome and depression. It may be spite, or it may be my hard-earned silver lining mentality, but it works.

[mariusthered]

i had no clue what this was about when i started reading, i had never heard of impostor syndrome before. (i honestly thought it had something to do with internet trolls) anyhow now i know your talking about inner voices it makes me think about one of my fave movies inside out . since seeing that movie i sort of imagined what all my inner voices look like and as a cartoonist in can be fun. but my weirdness aside the best way to deal with the ones you don't want to deal with is just tell them to shut up! (or you can imagine them being locked in a closet that works too!)

[teacup_creations]

It's probably not the most healthy way of dealing with it, but I kinda just... accept it?

Like I always feel like people are putting me/ my skills way too high up and that I'm not worth what they're giving me but I'll try my damndest to reach their expectations. In the end I kinda just deal with things as they come. If some day people find out that I'm a fraud and hate me, that's a problem for later me. Right now I have people who for some reason like my work and I'll try my best not to disappoint them.

It doesn't get rid of the thoughts but it helps me keep going. u..u

[SheiDraws]

I guess I'm the sort of person who always worries about "bothering" someone, or sounding whiny if I complain

Oh yes, i can relate to that. It took some time before I was able to build friendships where i feel comfortable enough to share my vulnerabilities. I was very lucky to be surrounded by good people. I do understand that not all people are as privileged though.

.but it's hard to see things that way when it comes to yourself right? x')

Absolutely. It's as if our own mind wants to kill us with all the poisonous thoughts haha!

[echoeotto]

I've definitely struggled with this as well. Something that's helped me:

Keep a directory/folder/box/whatever of positivity—compliments people have given you, things you've successfully completed or excelled at, cute pictures of your pets, art/poems/etc. that inspire you—and bring it out when you're feeling down.

When you're trapped in bad thoughts, it's easy to remember all the other bad memories and overlook the good ones. Keep (easy to find) things outside of yourself to remind you of that good when your mind's not helping.

[Draconic]

This is a tip from my experience:

Own a nicest thing that you had always wanted.
It's like a token to remind that you are allowed to have a nicest thing ever!

Not the best for your wallet, and only work if you have a job, but this method would help you a lot.

In my case, it's a desktop PC, a 4k TV, a PS4 slim, an iPad Air, a Surface Pro and a Wacom Cintiq Pro.
Don't be afraid of the price, as long as you can't go broke with it, you are allowed to buy it.

I've had two years of depression, I know how it feel like and how suck it is.
Always remember, you are allowed to be happy.