Faith Hibbs-Clark
Sep 2, 20214 min
Updated: Dec 27, 2022
By Faith Hibbs-Clark
Your agent calls and tells you that you have an audition for a co-starring role. You are excited. You accept the audition but before you even hang up the phone, you start to get that feeling come over you again. "Why would they pick me?" You doubt yourself. "This is just a dog and pony show, they won't really pick me." You feel crushing self-doubt. "Maybe they don't know I don't have much experience." You feel like an imposter.
This week, I was talking to an actor about how he could be taking some next steps to level up in his acting career. He began talking about a particular casting director and how many times he had auditioned for this person. "I hope these are not just pity auditions," he said.
Yes! You heard that right! This actor was starting to see his hard work and consistency pay off enough to get multiple auditions from the same casting director but instead assumed it must be "pity auditions."
Of course, no casting director has time to bring in anyone that isn't right for the role, but this logic was replaced with powerful emotions.
It is called ACTOR IMPOSTER SYNDROME.
What is Actor Imposter Syndrome?
Actor imposter syndrome is when an actor incorrectly attributes their success to luck, others' generosity, or other external factors instead of themselves. They often discount praise and avoid taking on new challenges for fear that failure may result and they will be exposed as an "impostor".
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong, or everyone is going to find out that you don’t deserve your achievements?
If you can relate to those feelings of chronic self-doubt, you’ve probably experienced imposter syndrome too.
You’re not alone - According to the Journal of Behavioral Sciences, studies suggest 70% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their career. (source) In my own experience as a casting director for over 20 years for film and television, I see it often.
Perhaps you have felt the same way? I hear this from beginners all the way up to celebrities. In fact, some celebrities are quite open about it. Tom Hanks, states in this NPR Radio interview, "Self-doubt is a high wire act that we all walk." So many famous actors feel this way so how can it be about ability?
Overall, imposter syndrome stems from a high sense of self-doubt. Instead of attributing your success to your skills, you might downplay your success and attribute it to luck.
Signs You Might Be Suffering from Imposter Syndrome
Perfectionism. You may set high goals for yourself. Because your goal is perfection, the smallest mistakes may make you feel like a failure.
Attribute success to luck. You downplay your success because you do not believe you deserve the success, or you believe you are just lucky.
Unable to recognize success. Instead of celebrating your accomplishments, you worry that others will see “the truth” about your skills and abilities.
Fear of failure. Because of a fear of failure, you may set challenging goals and be disappointed when those goals fail. You might also take on limited tasks because you fear failure.
Difficulty asking for help. You might have difficulty asking for help because you believe asking for help will show that you’re wrong or unqualified.
Experiencing actor imposter syndrome can limit your acting career and your confidence to go after new opportunities because you feel that you do not deserve it.
Luckily, I put together these steps that you can take to give yourself more credit and start overcoming those feelings of self-doubt.
Steps to Overcome Actor Imposter Syndrome
Acknowledge imposter feelings. Recognize when you start feeling like an imposter. Instead of engaging with your thoughts of self-doubt, acknowledge that it is a normal response.
Understand the root of the cause. Why do you think you feel like you don’t belong? Is it due to a fear of failure? Do you believe that you don’t deserve success? Why or why not? Are you suffering from audition anxiety?
Focus on facts, not feelings. When you start feeling like a fraud, focus on positive facts. For example, maybe you were chosen for a part because you were th best for the role!
Ask yourself if that thought helps or hinders you. Does feeling fraudulent help or hinder you? Is that what you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be?
Reframe your thoughts. Instead of telling yourself that you don’t deserve success, reframe your thoughts to give yourself more credit and enjoy the experience. If you want to get the scientific benefits of 4 hours of deep meditation in just 24 minutes a day then try my favorite meditation app. I can't miss a day of this!
Own your accomplishments instead of attributing them to “luck!" Say “thank you” when you receive a compliment.
Look at the big picture and instead of looking at each isolated event and downplaying its importance, look at the totality of your work. Together those things matter. That is how others see you.
Just do it! Remind yourself there will never be the “perfect time.” Then act anyway!
Accept it! Accept that we all have to start somewhere. That doesn't make you a fraud.
Accept that it’s okay to make mistakes. Instead of fearing failure, develop a healthy response to making mistakes. "Done is better than perfect!"
10. Reach out for support. Having a safe space to receive support will help you reduce feelings of being an imposter. When you feel imperfect, make a mistake, or receive a compliment, your first instinct may be to hide. Instead, start reaching out to an encouraging mentor, coach, or colleague for support. Get yourself into an acting training program that builds you up with constructive feedback.
Imposter syndrome can make you feel like a fraud but remember that ...
Imperfection doesn't make you a fraud - it makes you human.
Instead of doubting yourself, take the above steps to build your self-esteem and self-worth.
Looking forward to working with you again soon! You deserve this!
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By Faith Hibbs-Clark
Communication Method for Actors, Founder
Casting Director for film & television for 20+ years
Former Communication Expert, who specialized in deception detection