Self-doubt and self-criticism are healthy parts of personal development, but in the creative industries it's common for these thoughts to become debilitating. It can get to the point where a person feels as though they don't deserve their success, their achievements are all flukes, and they'll be exposed as the fraud they really are.
It's hard to believe that world-class artists could think of themselves as fakes. Yet many – perhaps even most – successful artists have at some point struggled with crippling self-doubt. Just knowing that these feelings are part of being a professional artist is helpful for most people, but there are additional approaches you can do to kick your mind out of its destructive loop and into more productive ways of thinking.
