We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zachary Booth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zachary below.
Zachary, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome is a fickle thing! It can keep people from progressing or driving for their dreams. Even when we have worked hard to accomplish something, our brains can create a negative experience. I just recently heard someone say “If you are at the table, you belong at the table. There’s nothing to have imposter syndrome about; you’re already there.” I really liked that! I think I overcome Imposter Syndrome by reminding myself of the processs it took to accomplish whatever it is.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Zachary Booth is a singer/songwriter based out of Los Angeles, California. Booth’s music is driven by real-life situations and moments from his life. The first EP, “Letters to Clara”, came from writing letters back and forth with a friend about topics that were “hard to verbalize.” During this time, the making of Booth’s debut single, “Potential” begun. From there, Zachary Booth committed to writing music consistently, and keeping true to writing from pure emotion. Later, Zachary Booth was diagnosed with PTSD – an invasive mental illness that can make a person feel intense fear, isolation and crippling anxiety. Zachary’s message? To share that healing yourself is the priority — regardless of the repercussions. My new single, “HBD!” released on May 19th, 2023. This single and the upcoming EP are pushing my sound and genre into a new, fun space.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The qualities that have helped me the most: being receptive to learning, caring about people, and having a strong work ethic. I could not have made it through life without those things. The advice I would give to anyone starting their journey of dream following is to be kind to yourself. There is so many things that I wanted to compare myself with – other artists, streaming numbers, live performances, etc. I had to learn to be kind to myself when evaluating my worth as a musician. Keep doing your thing, and the crowd will follow.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
A big obstacle in my life has been mental health struggles. In December 2020, I was attacked on a train. This later caused a diagnosis of PTSD. What many people don’t know about PTSD is how debilitating it feels – and unfortunately, there is not many support groups or avenues for help for non-combat PTSD. Simply put, there is not enough resources for people that deal with (specifically) non-combat PTSD. My mission is to help create new avenues of care for people with underdeveloped versions of mental health care. I want to change the way that the U.S. has set up mental healthcare. What I have found that has helped me is being open and honest about my mental health and taking the time I need to heal. Prioritize yourself!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zacharyboothmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zacharydbooth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zacharyboothmusic/
