We recently connected with Joshua Ingram and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Joshua, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I overcome imposter syndrome by shear force of will. No, not really. I can be caught up with two types of imposter syndrome and I’ll explain how I deal with both. The first is more obvious in that I know I’m not the best musician around, wasn’t a great student of music, didn’t finish my music degree, and am not world famous. That makes it feel like I shouldn’t be audacious enough to believe I can make a living at it. Some of how I deal with this IS to rationally examine what’s going on. My business has been growing, my fan base has been growing, and people are coming to me for advice. These are indicators that I am actually good at my job. I have a good support network and people who can keep my grounded when I spin off. Being in a creative industry carries with it its own bit of self loathing; it’s literally part of the creative process. Keeping the healthy criticism from spiraling into self-doubt is an important skill that takes experience and good mentorship to master. The other kind of imposter syndrome is tougher to deal with. I have friends who are doctors, teachers, first responders, armed service members, and others in other careers that seem far more beneficial to humankind than that of a musician. Sometimes it feels like I shouldn’t be allowed to make a living this way because it doesn’t do enough good for other people. The only way I’ve discovered that I can escape this way of thinking is to trust others when they say they feel hope and help from the music and from getting to watch me perform. I don’t try to fool myself into thinking I’m saving a baby from a burning building, but I do recognize that each person has a small child inside of them who needs to feel strong and safe and each person is battling some sort of emotional inferno. If I can help them do that, I’m happy.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a native Texan singer/songwriter and have been for 20 years, give or take. I’ve learned to adapt to the changing music industry over the years and lately have decided to just handle things in house. WIth the help of my wife, I play 6 shows a week, maintain the merchandise, stay active on social media, release a new song every 4-6 weeks, do charity events, work with a non-profit that takes music to hospitalized children, and lead a church band on Sunday mornings.
On June 21st, I’ll play a 12 hour concert to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s ok if you’re reading this after June 21st, because I do it annually. I’m looking forward to the day people stop asking me what the date for the Longest Day Concert is.
My music is about bringing people together. I have been known to say “We are not in the music business; we are in the people business.”
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?
First, I have a working knowledge of more than one instrument. That. makes it easier to communicate with other musicians, easier to conceptualize how different parts of a song will go, and easier to make do in a tough situation.
Second, I know how to talk to people. I read lots of books about influence and how to gain trust. In my business, trust is key to success. We work a great deal with verbal contracts, scheduling, and the belief that someone will do what they say they will do. Everyone who has been in the business very long has been burned by someone before. Knowing how to speak in a way that can establish trust early is key to keeping the business moving.
Perseverance is crucial to success in this business. People reject you, ignore you, or flat out don’t even see you because of the saturation. Without perseverance no musician makes it past the first show. Your belief in what you want has to outweigh the negativity you face,
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am looking for writers, engineers, producers, and musicians to partner with. As I age, I realize that playing six shows a week is not sustainable. Arthritis, tendonitis, and other pains are slowly staring to manifest. I would love nothing more than to be able to position myself where I could help younger artists get going. To do that, I’ll need a few more people on my team.
Contact Info:
- Website: joshuaingram.com
- Instagram: @thejoshuaingram
- Facebook: @thejoshuaingram
- Twitter: @thejoshuaingram
- Youtube: @joshuaingram
Image Credits
JAIME INGRAM
