Are you one of the 75% of singers who underestimate themselves?

By this point I’ve had lessons with several hundred students.  And I have noticed something odd:  hardly anyone has an accurate self-image when it comes to their singing abilities.

At least 3/4 of my students underestimate themselves.  A much smaller fraction – maybe 5% – overestimate themselves, believing they are great singers when they have, say, significant range, tone, or pitch issues.  Only a small percentage of people seem to have the kind of self-critical yet confident self-awareness that’s required for true success.

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If you underestimate yourself, you stunt your own growth by filling your head with limiting thoughts and beliefs.  You won’t create, follow, or sieze opportunities you could be qualified for.  You have a harder time standing on your own opinion.  And although you probably have some technical chops, your voice won’t shine with the magic of confidence.

You may be underestimating yourself for many different reasons.  You may be afraid to look cocky, afraid to look stupid, afraid to look like a freak or a dreamer untethered from reality, afraid to become a diva, afraid to leave your musical partners behind, or afraid that once you believe you’re “good” you won’t keep improving (which isn’t true).

Are any of these reasons good enough to prevent you from realizing your potential?  

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If you overestimate yourself, you are likely to discount or even ignore your weaknesses.  You risk putting yourself out in high-profile situations before you’re ready to make a positive impression.  Most importantly, if you already believe you’re great, you aren’t likely to do the kind of critical self-examination that will allow you to constantly improve. 

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The people I most love working with are those who have a healthy dose of confidence tempered by a realistic sense of self-awareness.  For example, the Voice auditioner who knows she can sing literally anything well (and she can), but who also knows that her voice isn’t currently unique enough to win.  Or the 18-year-old R&B phenom being courted to move to Nashville, who already sings like superstar material but has enough self-awareness and humility to know that she needs to address a few vocal skills and a lot of performance skills.

It’s harder to work with someone who refuses to believe in themselves.  Or on the other extreme, someone who is coming to lessons just to show me how great they already are.

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Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive.  Humility allows you to keep an open mind.  To realize that you do still have something to learn from other people.  To know that you don’t reach perfection, you just keep striving toward it.  To know that you’re not as good this week as you’ll be next week.  To see everything you do as steps along a constantly growing journey.  But confidence allows you to shine and achieve.  To build and create.  To recognize the enormous progress you’ve made, and believe in how much more progress is coming.  To lead, to forge your own way.  To be a music entrepreneur, with all the risks that entails.

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Decide on confidence, but cultivate self-awareness.

(c) 2011 Adrienne Osborn

Adrienne Osborn is a vocalist and performance coach based in Colorado.   For more free articles and tips, visit https://PerformanceHigh.net.