Self-Trust for Musicians: How We Lose It and Begin to Rebuild It

S2 Ep #9: Self-trust might be one of the most quietly radical acts we can practice as artists — and honestly, as humans. It sounds simple, but for so many of us in this field, it's anything but. This episode is a reflection on something I've been circling all season long, and something I've wrestled with deeply in my own life: what it means to actually trust yourself, follow your gut, and stop outsourcing your own authority.

This is a solo episode, and I'm sharing what I've learned — often the hard way — about how musicians and performers can lose that inner thread of self-trust, sometimes so gradually we don't even notice it happening. From the early days of handing our gifts over to teachers and institutions, to the slow replacement of curiosity with the pursuit of approval, I walk through what that drift looks like and why it runs so deep in our world.

What I've come to believe is this: rebuilding self-trust isn't about making perfect decisions. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves to handle whatever comes next — the wins, the losses, the uncertainty, and the in-between. The more I've practiced that in my own life, the more freedom I've found in my artistry. And I think that's available to you too.

You'll Discover:

Why musicians often lose self-trust early, and how the pursuit of praise can quietly replace the pursuit of curiosity

The difference between seeking guidance and outsourcing your autonomy

How perfectionism and the need for external approval are deeply linked for performers

What self-abandonment can look like in your life and career, and why it tends to build slowly over time

Why self-trust cannot be contingent on things going well, and what it actually means to trust yourself through failure

How experiences outside of music helped Jo reconnect with her own instincts and strengthen her artistry

A guided exercise from coach Martha Beck to help you distinguish between fear of the jump and your gut's true answer

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