Have you ever felt unworthy? Does it seem like others around you are accomplishing more than you are?

In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I explore entrepreneurial insecurity and how to re-frame your perspective.

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Podcast Highlights:

00:14 – You are where you are

00:43 – Insecurities

01:07 – Stop comparing

01:56 – Taking risks

02:20 – Reflect on the chances you’ve taken and where you could be

03:53 – The importance of staying in the moment

04:54 – Your journey is uniquely yours

Transcription:

Have you ever felt like you should be further along in your music or entrepreneurial career than you are?

Have people ever said to you something along the lines of, “why do I feel like you should be more recognized and better known than you are?”

On the one hand, it’s nice to know people think so highly of you. That can be a confidence booster. On the other hand, you might begin to feel discouraged, because you aren’t sure what you did wrong. You don’t know why you aren’t “further along” than you already are.

If these thoughts go unchecked, they can become a source of stress. You may start to feel depressed about your situation, because you wish you would have accomplished more by now.

Pretty soon, you’re looking at others who’ve achieved great things, and you begin to feel insecure about where you are. I know I’ve felt this way recently and know other entrepreneurs who’ve felt it too.

You may not feel as though what you’ve accomplished so far is significant. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t. It just means you’re comparing yourself to others.  So, I want to encourage you to…

Stop Comparing

I’ve written a post on the blog about comparison being the source of all unhappiness.

Take that any way you want, but ultimately, comparison is unhealthy, because your journey is your journey. It won’t be the same as anyone else’s, even if you model your life after your heroes.

Your journey is your journey and it won't be like anyone else's.Share on X

When we compare, we are rarely fair with ourselves. We end up comparing our blunders with someone else’s highlight reel. And, a highlight reel is just that – a collection of someone’s best moments. Rest assured, they’ve made some mistakes along the way too, perhaps bigger mistakes than you’ve ever made.

I know, there are plenty of people out there who’ve accomplished amazing things, and you want to be one of those people. But it wasn’t necessarily more intelligence, more smarts, or more talent that got them to where they are. Oftentimes, it’s just that they’ve figured out a few things you haven’t.

Hard work doesn’t guarantee success. But all things being equal, someone who takes more chances will likely have a better chance at success than someone who takes fewer, wouldn’t you agree? So, let me ask – are you taking enough risks?

I know it’s tempting to compare yourself to others and what they’ve accomplished, but I would encourage you to stop thinking that way. Instead, focus on what you can do today to make progress towards your goals and dreams.

Focus on what you can do today to make progress towards your goals and dreams.Share on X

You should also take some time to…

Reflect On The Chances You’ve Taken & Think About Where You Could Be

If you’ve been a musician or entrepreneur for any length of time, you’ve probably tried your hand at a lot of things. You deserve credit for what you’ve done, regardless of what the outcome was.

If no one has ever recognized you for things you think they should have, here I am extending recognition to you right now – good job.

And, that’s the way I’ve convinced myself to look at things as well.

If everything had gone according to plan, I would probably be a millionaire by now. Who knows where I would be or what I would be doing. Maybe I would still be adding value to the world through this podcast.