How DJs Can Stop Feeling Like A Fraud

You’ve been DJing for about years, in all sorts of situations. But you still get this feeling that you’re winging it and that you’re going to be found out. Even though you have done this many times before, you keep suffering from this feeling. Does it ever go away?

What is Impostor Syndrome?
It involves a constant fear of exposure, of being found out. It often goes hand in hand with moments of success. 

What does impostor syndrome feel like?
It feels like your achievements don't matter and that you only scraped by because of luck or by fooling others into believing in you. You feel deep insecurity and intense feelings of unworthiness. Even if you know you’ve worked really hard and put a great deal of effort into something, you’re anxious that you'll be exposed as a fraud.

“They are going to find me out soon! ”

What causes impostor syndrome?
Impostor Syndrome can be associated with other feelings of self-doubt, such as fear of success, fear of rejection, fear of failure, or self-sabotage.
But it’s not simply just another symptom of low self-confidence. It’s a set, limiting belief of something you have picked up - something you were told by your primary caregivers or an experience you had in early adulthood.
At some point, you started to believe that you were not worthy and you made it mean something about you.

DJs and imposter syndrome
Imagine this: Last night, you played at a venue you’re very familiar with and where you have played several times before. They even booked you to play there again in the future. It went well, the floor was packed from start to finish and several people came up and told you that you were smashing it. Your reaction is one of excessive humility. But you just see that as normal, questioning yourself and what you do is good, right? There’s always room for improvement. Nonetheless, when you wake up the next morning, all you can think about is the two or three tunes that didn’t work or that one transition that you messed up. You start to downplay the whole experience, regardless of the compliments you received. It wasn’t all that good…

Downplaying compliments and even an entire situation is a classic case of impostor syndrome. You can discover 4 signs you may be struggling with imposter syndrome in this Facebook live I did inside my Facebook group here >>>

Picture this scenario. Oftentimes, you’re afraid to say yes to opportunities in electronic music because you’ve just always been afraid of taking an opportunity and not being able to do your best at it. So, you end up never taking them unless you know 100% you can do it. 

On the surface, this may sound like a sensible thing to do, however, can you really be 100% sure you can do something, anything at all? Nothing is ever going to be perfect or 100%. You may be self-sabotaging here. It’s important to recognize how you may be sabotaging yourself.

These are just a couple of examples of how imposter syndrome may show up for you. 

What can DJs do to overcome imposter syndrome?
Here are 7 things DJs can do to stop feeling like a fraud.

1. Keep a list of accomplishments

You can do this daily. Journal on it before you go to bed. Look back at your day and write down everything you’ve done, no matter how big or small. This also includes overcoming feelings of self-doubt. That’s a success to celebrate too!

By the way, if you only think about the "bad" of your mix or those two tracks that didn’t work, you smashed it. The crowd generally won’t hear each and every little detail you think went wrong. People don’t hear what you hear. General flow, programming, the feeling you want to create, is what they perceive.

2. Tell yourself it’s an experiment

Whenever you feel imposter syndrome kicking in, you can imagine that the DJ set you’re about to do is a fun experiment or a game. It may take the pressure off, take doubts away, and put you in a more positive mindset before you even get started.

3. Investigate where it comes from

It could be a limiting belief that you have about yourself, the belief that you are not good enough. The dance music industry is a competitive, high-pressure environment and you need to be careful who you surround yourself with. If you sense a certain collaboration, relationship, or person is toxic, you might want to step away from that before you get sucked into that negative vortex.
Also, the things you say to yourself on a daily basis are incredibly powerful. Beware of self-judgement. It keeps you trapped and stops you from living your life freely, from putting your music out there and from seeing potential opportunities.

4. Go into total acceptance with each feeling that comes up

Accept who you are and where you are on their journey. We all move at our own pace. That’s cool. The only one putting pressure on you, truly, is you. Your thoughts will determine your feelings, actions, and ultimately, your results. Relax and focus on what you can control.
Accept whatever comes up, acknowledge it as part of who you are on this part of your journey.

5. Visualize success

Impostor Syndrome often strikes at moments of success, so get clear on what success really means to you! Practice picturing it regularly. Each time you’re about to DJ, envision how you want to feel during that experience, what you want to achieve, and most of all, how much fun it’s going to be.

Getting a clear picture of how you would like it to be, gives you a clear direction that brings up focus, confidence, and a higher belief in self.

6. Separate fact from feelings

If the night is great, it’s always because the weather is nice, or it's the last weekend of the month or whatever. If the night is quiet, it's your fault. Ok, don’t do that. Separate fact from feelings.
Have you been able to put up a good show in the past? Pretty sure the answer is yes, so who’s to say you can’t do it again? When people (not everyone) leave the floor, it doesn’t mean you’re bad. They might just not know the song or think “ok time to get a drink” or just want to chill and chat for a bit. They probably are still enjoying the music and the atmosphere.

7. Talk about it!

Experiencing imposter syndrome as a DJ can bring up feelings of isolation, because you may be afraid to talk about it. That’s the thing, you don’t want to be exposed. However, the best thing to do is talk about it. Peer support and turning to an uplifting community will make you realize that you’re not alone in this.

If you’re looking for an objective third party and a deeper understanding of how you can overcome this, then let’s talk. We’ll hop on a 15-minute call to explore what your options are and where to put your energy.

Afraid you’ll be exposed as a fraud? Don’t sweat it, and don’t put undue pressure on yourself. It’s great to want to keep getting better, and with that attitude, you sure will, but aiming too much for perfection is counterproductive. Accept your mistakes, shrug them, and just plow on.

Most of all, enjoy yourself while you are mixing, it will be heard in the music!

Let’s continue the conversation!

In a comment below, share in what way you’ve experienced feeling like a fraud as a DJ and share 1 step you took to overcome it.