Meet Niko Javan

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

Niko, 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.
Imposter Syndrome. This is a funny topic for me! It is a frightening thought when you ask yourself “Why am I even doing this? Is it because I’m too stubborn to try anything else? Do I even know how to do anything else? Is this working, and if it’s not can I ever admit to myself that it’s time to move on? Or will I always force myself to do this because starting over means losing my identity?”

When I first started touring as a solo musician, I had imposter syndrome. I had already been making music for over 12 years, & now things were taking a big step. I had already felt for a long time that I was taking too long to develop the way I always dreamed… & now that I was starting to tour I wondered if I’m just continuing to force something thats not for me.

I did my first Live show on tour at the Coffin Club in Portland Oregon, February 2023 & I admit this proudly…. I wasn’t prepared for the gig but I did it anyway!

I flew to the opposite corner of the country and hopped up on that stage. To my surprise, there were about 300 people in the room and a lot of them knew who I was and they were there for me, but still in my head I could hear voices doubting if this was legitimate.

During the concert I was synching half of my songs like Milli Vanilli because I was afraid I would forget my lyrics, or that I couldn’t manage microphone feedback.
I was also air-guitaring some songs because I also just didn’t want to mess up the show.
As far as I was concerned, it was more important that I appeared to do a good job, than to actually play everything live.

The fact that I was more concerned with my appearance than being actually consumed by the music, it created space mentally for me to ask my self on stage “Why are you even pretending youre a musician, you’re faking this right now!”
When you’re really into the music, you don’t think… you just feel.

It was in one moment everything changed. After my first song ended, the crowd erupted in applause. I believe it felt similar to how people describe heroin. There was a wave that washed over my entire body, it felt like a decompression. Every bit of anxiety, doubt, negativity from YEARS of imposter syndrome, it went away. I was floating. It was me knowing that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and that the tens of thousands of hours I’ve spent working on this one thing…. it was not in vain.

After the performance finished, people approached me and said things like “You are OOZING confidence!” Which to me is so funny because I must’ve been the least confident guy in the room! But to me, confidence is not always about feeling certain of your self, sometimes confidence is about feeling uncertain but you have faith in yourself & you keep going anyway.

I think that concert at the Coffin Club was one of the best days of my life. I have not had imposter syndrome since that day.
A few shows later I was no longer lip-synching or air guitaring; now I have played in over 30 cities across the US & Mexico. Plus my upcoming European Tour.

I am not an imposter, I couldn’t possibly be more opposite. I am the real thing. <3

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I was enrolled in art school from 3-12th grade, so I have a fine arts background. I also start making electronic art and music since 2005.
In my free time, (Which is the majority of my time) I am at home jamming on different musical instruments,
or creating animations for my visual show, or blasting out hundreds of emails to music venues around the world to get shows booked.

I prioritize my free time much more than I do working a routine job, cause I like to bask in creativity every day!

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?
Because I create all my music, visuals and do my own business… I would say the skills I find most valuable are:

A willingness to teach yourself new things.

A willingness to do things on your own.

A willingness to ignore advice from others and follow your instincts.

All of these qualities are pretty much the same thing… A desire to do things yourself.
When you start depending on other people to get your job done, you’re denying yourself a greater power.

Maybe not everyone has time for this but I believe to be a true boss, you should understand every role of the system youre building.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

There was one specific section that upon reading it, it changed my perception of my life instantly.

This isn’t the quote, but the author says something like “You are not your special abilities, you are not your work ethic, you are not your name, you are not your talent… you are simply you… all those things are things you do while you’re here.”

When you dedicate all of your time on something, you identify yourself with that thing.

To think that you’re just some guy out here living… who enjoys doing these things; it takes the pressure off.
My self worth doesnt depend on how successful or productive I am. I am worthy of inner peace simply because I’m alive!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
@junetiquette @thebrandy__rose

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,