Bennett Sullivan has played banjo on Broadway, at the Grand Ole Opry, and on the Poker Face soundtrack. By any measure, he belongs on any stage. And for years, he couldn't convince himself of it.

In this episode, Bennett is honest about the gap between what he's accomplished and how it's felt from the inside: the comparison that made him great and got in his way at the same time, the night on Broadway he was sure he'd ruined the show, and the shift that finally let him get out of his own way, which turned out to have almost nothing to do with the banjo.

If you've ever been good at something and still felt like you were about to be found out, this one's for you.

Links:

• Bennett's teaching site: https://banjolicks.com
• Order The Genius and the Impostor: GeniusAndImpostor.com
• Bennett on Instagram: @thebennettsullivan
• Josh on Instagram: @brainjojosh

To get the "Genius Toolkit," head to GeniusAndImpostor.com.

Bryan Sutton is one of the best flatpickers alive, and like most great players, he'll tell you the guitar just came naturally to him. In this follow-up to my conversation with Bryan, I dig into what's really behind the making of a "natural," and what it means for you.

Links:

• Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor (out August 25): https://GeniusAndImpostor.com
• The full interview with Bryan Sutton: https://youtu.be/mF0MSRkrriM?si=oNmQxHoMon-UaRKT
• Instagram: @brainjojosh
• More at performanceneurology.institute