By Henrylito D. Tacio
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” – Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, American inspiration author
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American actor Tom Hanks has just finished making the film, A Hologram for the King. In an interview with NPR, a US independent non-profit media organization, admitted that he felt particularly connected to his character.
Despite having won two Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump and appearing in more than 70 motion pictures and television shows, Hanks said he still finds himself doubting his own abilities. “It’s a high-wire act that we all walk,” he pointed out.
“No matter what we’ve done, there comes a point where you think, ‘How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?”
He is not alone in feeling this way. Among those who shared the same experience with Hanks include Emma Watson, Lady Gaga, Lupita Nyong’o, Albert Einstein, Serena Williams, Sheryl Sandberg, and Howard Schultz.
It’s called impostor syndrome and it can affect anyone, regardless of job or social status. Although the term was coined by psychologists in the 1970s, research suggests that it is a widespread phenomenon and impacts a majority of people at least once in their lives.
Oftentimes, high-achieving individuals experience it. “Intelligent people constantly doubt themselves because they are afraid of being exposed as a fraud or an impostor,” wrote Susmitha Hedge for scienceabc.com. “They constantly question their abilities and consider themselves inadequate, even though they have objectively been proven to be capable and competent.
“They attribute their success not to their own abilities, but to external factors, such as timing or luck,” Hedge further wrote. “That’s why they often reject praise or recognition, and repeatedly doubt if they truly deserve what they receive or earn.”
I came to know one who experienced such situations. His name is Jeuz D. Sumangil, who hails from Dujali, Davao del Norte. He came to world attention in 2018 when he was selected as one of the five grand winners in Venom alternative poster competition, which was initiated by Talenthouse, a prestigious online community of creators and art appreciators and the Venom Team led by the lead actor Tom Hardy. The other winners were from the United States, Japan, Indonesia, and Ecuador.
Sumangil, then 22, received a cash prize of US$2,000 from the global contest. In addition, he received several awards and recognitions from various award giving bodies, including the National Commission of Creative and the Arts (NCCA).
“I didn’t think of it until I won,” he said in an exclusive interview. “What I was really after was winning the cash prize. I really didn’t know then that it is really something to be recognized internationally. There were so many artists in the country who joined the contest. And out of the more than 3,000 entries, mine was chosen. What was even amazing was that Tom Hardy himself selected my entry.”
After the said victory, he started to doubt himself. This was when some commented that his winning in the prestigious global competition was just a fluke. “I think I can say I have slowly overcome it,” he admitted.
He did it by believing in himself. As Chantal Sutherland once said, “Believe in yourself, take your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You gotta keep going.”
That was what Sumangil did. “I told myself, if I didn’t do it and didn’t join, I won’t win. If my work was not worth it, no one would notice it and I wouldn’t win. If I didn’t upload my work and clicked the submit button, I wouldn’t win. That confirmation and thoughts were able for me to overcome the impostor syndrome.”
He also acknowledged God. “I believe that whatever I achieve in life, I always put it in my head that all these came from God. It’s crazy to think and looking back, I’m amazed how a student could win such a contest? How did I win? There were so many impressive, detailed and intricate entries done by professionals. Yet it was my entry that was selected. I always believe that God has given me that opportunity and blessing. He deserves the glory, not mine.”
The support of his family, friends, and those who know him well also helped. “There were a lot of people who looked up to me. It means they have seen something in me and they believe in my work. I think that’s another thing that has given me motivation to continue,” he added.
He was right. When he graduated in November 2018 from the University of Mindanao in Davao City with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts (MMA), he was given the Achiever’s Award by the university, the highest honor given to a graduating student. He was among the pioneering graduates of the course.
MMA is a course that combines various forms of media – like graphics, animation, audio, video, and interactive elements – to create engaging and interactive content. It involves the integration of different media elements to convey messages, tell stories, or communicate information effectively.
Despite all the awards he received – in 2022, the Davao City government also recognized his accomplishment during the Araw ng Dabaw – he still never considers himself as a digital artist. “I’m still learning and still finding my own style,” he said. “What I really want to become is as an artist/designer in the field of arts and creatives.”
Most of his jobs are related to graphic and multimedia designs. “I am more well versed in being a graphic designer than a digital artist. But my experience with digital arts helped me in doing vector illustration assets in websites, logos, and posters. I once used animation in one of the companies I worked with.”
Sumangil describes himself as a hybrid designer because he can do both: digital illustration and graphic design.
He never thought of ending up as a graphic designer. In fact, his father dreamed of him becoming a medical doctor. “It was my father’s wish and desire to send me to a prestigious school since we live in a remote place,” he said. “He liked me to become a doctor since that was one of his dreams. It never happened because they didn’t have enough money at that time.”
As an artist, he gets his ideas from anything that is aesthetically pleasing and something appropriate that works for the brand and project. “I always remember that kind of style and inspiration for my artworks and outputs,” he said. “I also get my inspiration from my life’s dreams and hopes. For instance, I want a house that looks like that in the future. So, I’ll use that as my inspiration.”
“Perseverance,” that’s the advice he could give to people who want to follow his footsteps. “There’s nothing that can enhance and polish your God-given skills but practice. Practice, that’s where everything starts. And the decision you want to do with your life. You need to work on it.
Talking about the Venom winning, he said, “When I joined some competitions, what I had in mind was to win. But lately, I realize that I am enjoying what I am doing. And at the same time, I saw myself improving. Then, my time came. Again, if I don’t do it and just sit there, I won’t be able to achieve it.” – ###
(Photos courtesy of Jeuz D. Sumangil)
