Don’t Compare! By Carol Jack

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

The poem Desiderata was written as a general guide to living well. But in my field, I’ve come across so many singers who compare themselves unfavorably to others (and of course I’ve done it myself!).

In singing, as in life, It’s very easy to compare yourself to other people so much that you decide to give up.

As singers, we can be very sensitive, and judge ourselves before even daring to share our voice with others. Even convincing ourselves that no one needs to hear us, we’re too old, too young, not pretty enough, etc.

Don’t worry about the others. While it’s good to study successful people you admire, you are not those people and they are not you.  Work out what your own path is and follow that. If you are truly sincere in the message you want to share through your singing there will be people who want to hear it. Think Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Prince, Susan Boyle, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith….etc.

Take a cue from Desiderata, and:

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.