Grounding and beating imposter syndrome through methods from the realms of sports, leadership and coaching, enabling balance where multiple truths and perspectives can co-exist within the Moon Arkestra.

Subquestion

Using strategies and methods from the realms of sports, leadership and coaching, how have I created a space of balance for the Moon Arkestra where our multiple truths and different perspectives can co-exist together?

Project 

As a coach, with the belief I had no musical background, I found myself surrounded by 8 different musical identities with contrasting perspectives of truth, both in music and life. I was put in a position where I would have to beat the imposter syndrome within myself. As a fitness professional, I have experience sharing truths with diverse individuals, both in a sporting and a fitness scenario.

In my everyday field, I train young people to beat the imposter syndrome within themselves, to combat the games with self-belief and work on overcoming a negative mindset which may prevent them from achieving a focused performance.

I wanted to see if it was possible to bring this methodology and apply it to the context of music with the Moon Arkestra.

The different elements of sports and fitness bring balance to people’s lives and truths. It has a way of bringing people together providing focus, motivation and stability. In a social setting where members of the Arkestra spend large amounts of time together, this mindset can both, provide collective endurance for the team, and create a space where they feel comfortable to express themselves and their truths. These methodologies, if applied to the Arkestra, can bring about equilibrium amidst diversity, solidifying  the coexistence of people who are united in their aim to achieve  mutual goals.

Image 1: This is me, as a coach maintaining the balance of my team irrespective of the difference in skills, level or background. This picture shows me teaching the stretches before an intense game. The balance is kept through a shared motivation to succeed,  allowing the players to co-exist in a peaceful way. My experience within the terrain of sports leadership and coaching has shown me that through mutual cooperation and the integration of a common collective goal imposter syndrome can be successfully tackled. 

As part of each of the Moon Arkestra’s live performances in the cities we travelled to across England, we asked members of the audience what they would like to see for the future of their town. We handed out pieces of paper and pens so that people could write down their answers from their unique visions and goals. The responses were a mixture of single words, phrases and pictures. 

These papers indicated a mixture of feelings in society, however they were connected by the city they lived in and had dreams for its future in a positive light, regardless of the differences they might have with the other people in their local area. This illustrates that people can co-exist despite having different truths and perspectives; moving towards a common goal of achieving the best for their town.

Image 2: A picture of me in a coffee shop observing each individual message from the cities we visited. This helped me to figure out the right game to play with the Arkestra. The picture includes me, the drawings of pictures and lines on the bottom left of the table and all the messages and phrase from the people whose cities we visited, scattered around the table

The rules of the game are simple:

Game 1:

Each person picked a piece of altar paper that they were not allowed to read. The paper was attached to their back so that everyone else could see. Each person announced a clue, which the person guessing would have to act on, impersonating the vision that was on their back without knowing what the vision was. It would go around the whole circle. At the last person, the guesser would have to say what they thought was on their back. Everyone who had a statement on their back guessed correctly what they had been acting, through the sharing of each clue.

Game 2:

Each player had to write or draw the old version of themselves: the person they used to be, the person they had grown out of, the imposter within them. The aim of the game is to understand how within our lives we go through a constant battle with ourselves to overcome the imposter we think we are. The reflection of your past symbolises a version of a person whose reality was of a different truth then what it is to date. It shows that your past life and truth does not always define who you will become. This was aimed to be a reflection and reminder of battles, hardships and adversities we have struggled with. 

As part of this game, each player also writes down the new, best version of themselves, after beating the imposter within them.

They then burn the imposter as a way of releasing that version of themselves and keep the new version of themselves.

Game 3:

The final game was about self-esteem and enlightenment: To showcase that there was not one person who  was a leader, but that there were elements of leadership in everyone.

Everyone in the Arkestra stood in a circle with their eyes closed. I told them that I would pick a leader from the group by touching one person on the back. In actual fact I went around the circle and touched each person individually.

 I noticed that as soon as I touched the back of someone in the circle, they raised their chest, as if they believed that I had chosen them to be the leader.

I wanted to show that everyone, respectfully, is a leader.

Concluding Remark 

All of these games implemented methodologies I have familiarised myself with in a sports and coaching context. Through playing these games with members of the Arkestra I was able to centre the element of play in the group, bringing lightness to the space. Also, these games fulfilled their purpose, creating equilibrium and unity amongst members of the Arkestra.