Self-doubt is something that plagues us all from time to time. Whether it’s a rough semester in school, a trying week with a difficult conductor, or a string of auditions where it feels like we’ve stopped growing and hit a plateau, it can be easy to question our abilities and wonder if we have what it get any further down the path.

Conventional wisdom suggests that we have to find a way to eliminate this self-doubt, but it turns out the relationship between self-doubt and performance may not be what you’d expect.

Why a Little Self-Doubt Before Performing Could Be a Good Thing

More from The Bulletproof Musician

• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses