Meet Jerad Atherton

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerad Atherton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jerad below.

Jerad, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Don’t think, just do. That’s kind of a modo in our family. It just means, keep moving forward and doing the things you know you need to do without the baggage of second guessing or overthinking. I think that’s the key to imposter syndrome. Everything will work out if you keep forward momentum and working toward your personal best.
Also, it’s important to know that everyone else is just a person like me. My heroes probably felt the same anxious self-doubt as me at some point(s).
The last thing that has helped me to relax is the fact that life isn’t usually decided by one thing, one moment, one performance. Lives are steered by many consistent behaviors over time. So, I try not to obsess over every single thing. That’s helpful because then I can focus my mental energy on more important things. Anxiety can be a trap, so being aware of it and letting go is pretty important sometimes.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I have a band, CHPTRS, that I co-founded with my friend Josh Auer. It’s a blend of folk, rock, and pop with a cinematic predilection. Many of our songs have been featured in tv shows, commercials, films, etc. We make music that we love, without compromise, about real things happening in our lives. The concept is that each album is about a new chapter of our lives… but always with the intent to make it easy for the listener to insert their own experience into the songs. Writing for tv has taught us to make lyrics specific, yet open.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Relationships – Be cool. Make friends. It’s more fun and everything goes better when we help each other.
2. Enjoy the journey – Celebrate victories and milestones, but focus more on the process.
3. Let your personal best be your motivation – Don’t let comparison, envy, fear, or others’ opinions drive you.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When overwhelmed, I try to reset by doing something else I enjoy like: cooking, taking a walk, driving, talking to a friend, or playing an instrument. Even 5 minutes can be enough to rewire my thinking. I also try to break down large tasks into smaller ones. To-do lists and organizers help. Praying, journaling, and talking to a trusted friend can help if I’m overdone and need to sort out the bottleneck in my head.

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Alexander Pavone, Trever Hoehne, Tyler Gipe

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