We were lucky to catch up with Luke Simmons recently and have shared our conversation below.
Luke, 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.
By looking inward rather than looking outward. I spent a lot of time shaking hands, seeing smiles and smiling back, hearing “good job” and “fantastic work”, and it all would bounce off of me because I didn’t trust it. But that wasn’t because people were lying to me or they had some other malicious intention. I wasn’t happy with myself, and so, I had to utilize the time I had alone with just me and my thoughts and simply work on quelling the negative voice in my head, exercising that mental muscle as much as i practiced my craft. It is an ongoing process, but I have developed grace and compassion for myself, and in doing so, I can extend it to others. Those smiles seem brighter. And I can shine bright right along with them.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a musician and performer, and it’s always a blast to share that with others. I have a gig almost every weekend whether it be in a small pub somewhere to a festival with thousands in attendance. The setups, the rehearsals, all the way down to the very first words I say on the mic while looking out at the expectant faces who may have never heard me before, it always reminds me of the butterflies I had in my stomach from my very first talent show in middle school. And I love it. That magic has propelled me through the years into a plethora of projects and moments I will never forget, and new things on the horizon I’m so excited about, one of which is my band, Luke Simmons & the Lovestruck has collaborated with a stellar musician named Josh Gilbert, and on June 7, we will be releasing our single, “Save Your Soul”, available everywhere you listen to your tunes, and we’ll be hitting the stage on the 8th to to start showcasing it to audiences. It was a joy to work on, and I hope people feel that once we start performing it live.
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?
One, work ethic. You hone this, and you will gravitate towards those who feel the same, or attract them, and that community will be a continuous feedback loop of professionalism that just feels good on a fundamental level knowing that you’re all working towards a goal hidden somewhere in the future. Two, grace, for yourself and for others. A heart that has the ability to think about other’s situations can only be achieved, in my opinion, when you think on yourself and give yourself that same affection and self-care. Three, the silent moment. What I mean is that while you run towards your ambitions, you NEED to have a silent moment every once in a while to see how far you’ve come. You have to, otherwise, you will never be fulfilled, and that leads to the degradation of the heart. No heart means the work can’t get done, and the grace can’t be felt.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My wife. Having another creative in my life who is hands-on in her own projects as well as mine, someone who isn’t afraid to do the inconvenient things, someone who’s in it for the long-haul, someone who is ambitious and forward thinking, someone who has no issue delegating and organizing, someone who loves, and i mean, LOVES coming up with new ideas to make things better, has been the most humbling, joyous, and beautiful thing I have every come across in my little thirty-one years of living. What a privilege it has been witnessing her. What a gift. What. A. Woman.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lukesimmonsandthelovestruck.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukesimmonsandthelovestruck/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lukesimmonsandthelovestruck
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lukesimmonsmusic8833
Image Credits
– David Travisano
– Marcherie Savage
– LV.Imagery
– Brittany Bossert
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
