Fake what?

In the adage, “fake it til you make it”, it’s important to clarify the “it”.

The it to be faked is different than the it to be made.

There are “it”s worth faking.

Overcoming limiting beliefs to show yourself what you’re made of by faking a feeling for a short time is an example.

If you want to become more confident, pretend that eye contact is comfortable, act like you are really interested in the people you are talking with, and fake having an opinion that you feel strongly about.

This is resistance training.

This is taking you closer to the making.

It’s tiring and requires recuperation, but the result is net positive.

There are also “it”s to avoid faking.

Buying expensive materials and draping them over oneself to make people think they have made it is counterproductive without the prior strategy. The investing solely on how others perceive us without developing ourselves consumes resources without closing the skill gap between the current self and the self that has “made it”.

Fake only what you can improve upon so that, rep by rep, you fake less and make more. Limit how often and long you spend faking before you make yourself a fake. If you always feel the need to fake it you may forget who you are and not recognize yourself even after after you make it.

Remember, the “it” that is made in the end will not be faked.