How do I overcome the self-doubt and fear of promoting myself?

Don’t think about it — just get on with it. Take it one step at a time. Artists are inevitably wracked with self-doubt, and promoting yourself feels hideous. You might be able to promote someone else’s work easily but find your own work embarrassing. Fear of failure and rejection is real. You need to develop thick skin. But there’s no other way. Mind the gap and do the work anyway. Understand that you’re going to suffer a little bit — you’re not going to like it. But the alternative is waking up at 90 with a garage full of unsold work and no business.

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Asked by an artist from London · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-06-05