Does the world really need another choir leader?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Have you ever thought to yourself that surely there are people better suited to being a choir leader than you: better musicians; more qualified, more experienced, more likeable? What business have you to lead this choir, with all your faults and inadequacies?

If you've ever struggled to find the confidence you need to lead a choir effectively, you're most definitely not alone. A lot of the emails we get from new and inexperienced choir leaders are about these issues. We all question whether we're sufficiently talented, qualified or experienced to be good at this job. So, in case you have these feelings from time to time, here are a few home truths I've learned along the way.

Comparing yourself to others is futile and destructive

There'll always be someone 'better' than you at anything you care to think of. Comparing yourself to others is a mug's game; it's the quickest route to misery I know.

The journey has no end

Your progress as a choir leader will never be finished. You can learn and grow all your life. You know and understand things today that you didn't yesterday. You'd better enjoy the journey, because there is no destination.

There'll never be another you

You have a unique combination of talent and experience. There has never been, and there never will be, another human being exactly like you. Conversely, there is zero chance of you stopping being you and being someone else instead. So you may as well get on with the business of being your unique self to the best of your ability.

You can't please everyone, and you shouldn't try

The fact is, whoever you are, there will be someone, probably lots of someones, who like your style and get a huge amount of value from what you do. There will also be lots of people who don't 'get you' and go elsewhere. And that's fine - it's exactly how it should be.

So next time you're feeling less than confident, remind yourself of this. You do you. Let everyone else get on with being them.