# Do most singers or sportspeople think they're better than they really are alot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370 "2019-12-24T23:16:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunmurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/1 "2019-12-24T23:16:21Z")
Well now I have this idea that alot of singers and sportspeople think they are better than they actually are and if you take someone like Paul McCartney or Ed Sheeran or some snooker players like Ronnie OSullivan or golfers like Rory McIlroy and it’s probably the case that he thinks he’s great and if you said to him Besides Rory, you’re not even that good at playing, golf he would be raging with you so do you think many of them think theyre Better than they actually are? And maybe you also think the pride takes over often and if someone won snooker world championship 6 times like Steve Davis someone like Stephen Hendry would want actually to win 7 times or someone like Justin Rose would want also to win Golf US Open every different year and things like these? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/2 "2019-12-24T23:44:45Z")
Ah, Christmas. The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems! Cheers! Also, no. There’s no way that Ronnie O’Sullivan would ever beat Paul McCartney at darts. What? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/3 "2019-12-24T23:46:52Z")
I’m confused. Do you mean these athletes and musicians think they are better than they are at their respective trade, or at someone else’s trade? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/4 "2019-12-24T23:54:07Z")
Michael Connelly seems to think he’s a great writer. But I dunno, his characters speak in really short sentences. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/5 "2019-12-25T02:35:25Z")
Like Ed Sheeran thinks he deserves to win more than four Grammys? Or McCartney thinks he’s John Lennon? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/6 "2019-12-25T02:46:32Z")
April 2002. Jings ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/7 "2019-12-25T03:09:57Z")
Ah, fresh Christmas word salad. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/8 "2019-12-25T03:54:09Z")
I printed out the OP, cut it into individual words, threw all the words into a hat and drew them out one at a time. I think the question is, do some people think they’re more talented than they really are? The answer is “Yes.” But let me ask a different question. If you didn’t think you could be among the best, why would you even bother to compete? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/9 "2019-12-25T04:11:38Z")
From my time hanging around musicians and other performers, there are a few types of people worth considering: 1. Most people on their way up, in college or younger, hear every mistake and have no illusions about being better than they are. 2. A bunch of people on the way up, however, keep getting told how awesome they are and overcome this lack of illusions and start telling themselves they’re awesome. They either crash and burn on they way up because they just can’t clear the trees at the end of the runway or move on to… 3. People who are successful but not megastars either realize they’re idiots and stop thinking they’re all that, or they exceed their actual limits and crash horribly. 4. I don’t know any megastars (_that I know of_), so I can’t say how the really successful people think. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/10 "2019-12-25T04:27:09Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > I think the question is, do some people think they’re more talented than they really are? > > The answer is “Yes.” That’s what I got from it as well, and I agree. Performing in the national spotlight takes a certain amount of confidence. Couple that with 'fake it ‘til you make it’ and you’ll certainly end up with people that act like hot shots when, objectively, they’re not. I’m guessing a good chunk of these people aren’t confident because they’re in the spotlight, they’re in the spotlight because they’re confident. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/11 "2019-12-25T05:33:25Z")
Nothing to add other than to say it reminded me of this [hyperbole and a half](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html?m=1). Almost had forgotten about it. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/12 "2019-12-25T12:25:43Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > I printed out the OP, cut it into individual words, threw all the words into a hat and drew them out one at a time. > > I think the question is, do some people think they’re more talented than they really are? > > The answer is “Yes.” > > But let me ask a different question. If you didn’t think you could be among the best, why would you even bother to compete? I think some people just like doing it and are competitive enough to make a living at it. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/13 "2019-12-25T13:16:40Z")
Are you pregnant? Anorexic? Going through menopause? ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/14 "2019-12-30T06:37:33Z")
People with undamaged psyches don’t feel driven to perform AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/15 "2019-12-30T17:47:52Z")
From my experience, there is a huge difference in the motivations and skill levels between musicians and athletes. How can you even compare the two? Athletes generally have a metric to show: their score. Musicians don’t, it’s about the taste of their audience. There are some highly successful, yet shitty, musicians out there. (Autotune, anyone?) Yet, they have an audience. A shitty athlete can’t get as far. Read a bunch of interviews with successful musicians, especially ones who have been around a long time. The common subject that comes up is luck. An awful lot of them ascribe their success to being in the right place at the right time. Try getting an athlete to say that they got as far on luck. As per the OP, yes, many musicians think they’re better than they are. They become successful by telling people that they’re good. Putting on shows, trying to contact people that can give them bigger and better deals, etc. If they have an audience, they can get farther than good musicians that won’t promote themselves. Can an athlete talk themself onto a team, not perform well and stay on that team? Hardly. To sum up, my point is to not compare musicians and athletes. They have little to do with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/16 "2019-12-30T18:54:35Z")
What about banjo players? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/17 "2019-12-30T18:59:29Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > As per the OP, yes, many musicians think they’re better than they are. They become successful by telling people that they’re good. Putting on shows, trying to contact people that can give them bigger and better deals, etc. If they have an audience, they can get farther than good musicians that won’t promote themselves. Can an athlete talk themself onto a team, not perform well and stay on that team? Hardly. Also, for most people, standing up and performing in front of an audience is terrifying. Is it such a surprise that some people work hard to convince themselves they’re really good, just to find the courage to do their jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/18 "2019-12-30T22:19:41Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Also, for most people, standing up and performing in front of an audience is terrifying. Is it such a surprise that some people work hard to convince themselves they’re really good, just to find the courage to do their jobs? Sure, I get it. The ones I’m talking about are the ones who\* really\* want to be on stage being admired. They don’t care how good they are as long as they can talk people into booking them. I do know some performers who battle stage fright every time they get a gig. It’s a strange dichotomy; they have to get out and perform, but it scares the beejeebers out of them. I think Parvarotti had stage fright. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/19 "2019-12-30T22:21:04Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > What about banjo players? I’m talking about musicians, here. Kidding! I kid! I work with some wonderful banjo players. Honest! ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370/20 "2019-12-31T07:55:28Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > What about banjo players? Q: What’s the worst part of being a banjo player? A: Learning to live alone. Q: How can a banjo player make his car go faster? A: Take the pizza sign off the roof. Q: How is lightning like a banjo player’s fingers? A: Neither strikes the same place twice. Drummer aphorisms come later. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-singers-or-sportspeople-think-theyre-better-than-they-really-are-alot/845370.md?page=2)