Are You Really Not Ready Or Have You Decided You’re Not

Why artists miss opportunities before they even apply and how to recognise when self doubt holding you back

While scrolling Instagram recently, I came across a satirical story about a man who donned a museum uniform and managed to act as a tour guide in a Boston for two weeks before being “caught.” The premise was absurd: he knew nothing about art but confidently led visitors around the collections, inventing fictional histories about the works as he went.

What struck me wasn’t the ridiculousness of the story. It was the question underneath it: what makes someone feel entitled to step into a room they haven’t been invited into?

Why artists rule themselves out of opportunities

It got me thinking about all the people who are genuinely qualified to be a tour guide who would never dream of doing this.

Now, I’m not advocating commandeering roles just because you feel like it. But it does highlight something important that many of us fall victim to regularly: the belief that we can’t do something or aren’t prepared enough to pursue an opportunity, often with little evidence to support that belief.

I see this regularly when working with artists. We’ll be discussing what they want for their practice, or they’ll bring details of an exhibition, residency, award, commission or other opportunity to a meeting. They’ll often say, quite matter-of-factly, that it’s not for them because they aren’t ready.

When I ask them why they think that, they often struggle to give me a reason. I’ve lost count of the number of artists who’ve told me they aren’t ready for an opportunity. Almost every time I ask why, they can’t point to a concrete reason. They’re not missing qualifications. They’re missing permission, from themselves.

How to know if you’re actually ready for an opportunity

The difficult thing is that it’s hard to recognise this pattern within yourself. You might genuinely feel justified in deciding that you aren’t ready. You might look at other artists, compare your career stage to theirs, or assume there is some invisible threshold you need to reach before applying.

Before you dismiss the next opportunity that comes your way, ask yourself:

What evidence do I actually have that I’m not ready?

If you can’t answer that clearly, perhaps the obstacle isn’t your experience. Perhaps it’s the story you’ve been telling yourself.

Why artists miss opportunities

One of the biggest reasons artists miss opportunities isn’t because their work isn’t strong enough. It’s because they decide they don’t belong in the room before anyone else has made that decision. Decision-makers are looking for artists who understand their practice, can communicate where they are in their career, and can clearly explain what they want next.

Being “ready” isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about recognising what you already bring and knowing how to communicate it.

Ready to stop ruling yourself out?

Get Chosen, my new group course for artists, is designed to help you understand what selectors are actually looking for, recognise the strengths you already bring, and put yourself forward for opportunities with confidence.

Get Early Access Here

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