5 Steps To Stop You From ‘Faking It Until You Make It’.
I dislike the ‘Fake it until you make it’ approach. Why? It has a tone of not being true to yourself. When you’re not true to yourself, it will eventually show. I know people who’ve done this only to find themselves faltering when they least expect it. Consequently, they’ve lost the respect and trust of those around them.
In a transparent world, there’s nowhere to hide, so if you’re going to ‘fake it until you make it,’ think again. I believe there are better ways to ace the game, be transparent and make a big dent in your way to success.
Here’s my Top 5
- Document Your Journey
- Get Comfortable With Making Mistakes
- Focus On One Step At A Time
- Uncertainty is The Only Certainty
- Turn Learning Into Fun
- Document Your Journey
People buy people based on trust. An online presence, especially on LinkedIn, will enhance your brand and help you build trust with an audience who doesn’t know you.
Be Proud Of Your Online Brand. You don’t need to be an influencer or showbiz icon to think about your online presence. Anyone and everyone who has access to the internet can build a personal or professional brand. I believe it’s a great way to document your journey, especially if you’re aspiring for more visibility.
Find a notebook or create a digital document to record your achievements, positive feedback, and examples of your competencies. It can be anything from a physical notebook to a note-taking app.
2. Get Comfortable Making Mistakes
I believe mistakes help you learn more than any textbook ever could. How? Once you’re in the thick of things, you’ll learn to figure it out by focusing on what needs to happen instead of worrying and doing nothing.
To learn, adopting a growth mindset and fully believing that your abilities and strengths will help you move forward is essential. It’s also important to apply what you learn quickly into practice, which will banish the procrastination demons. It will also help you repeat the same mistakes.
Don’t skip the learning at any stage. Why? Learning from mistakes is an ongoing process; it may take time to see the desired results. Try not to be despondent and be patient as you learn to grow and thrive.
3. Focus On One Step At A Time
Many dream of taking a giant leap, but they underestimate the power of the small step. Why do you think many give up on their New Year’s resolutions at about this time? They kept thinking about the bigger goal and failed to execute it with consistent daily habits.
The small steps can be a game changer because each helps build momentum. Your confidence will grow; you’ll notice the difference over time and be inspired to shift gears. Before leaping into the deep end, focus on setting the right intention from the outside.
4. Uncertainty Is The Only Certainty
I see the following scenario all too frequently, especially over the last couple of years- big goals, great action plans and then a curveball hits. There’s usually a temptation to sit then and wait it out.
Career curveballs come in different sizes. Some could be small or big and could come from within or externally. Maybe you’ve been passed over for a promotion/didn’t get the job you wanted, or your role has become redundant. Instead of venting your frustrations, conserve this energy to think about your next move. This step is crucial in helping to chart your next course of action.
In most cases, you need to keep going. Why? There’s a lot of change and uncertainty out there. It’s ok to be unsure, fearful, and hesitant. When things get sticky, learn to trust the step before you. Don’t perfect anything. Otherwise, you’ll miss the stretches, insights and invaluable learning for the next step.
5. Turn Learning Into Fun
In today’s world, learning comes in many forms. What worked yesterday is no longer applicable in a post-COVID-19 world. Why? The business world has changed in many ways. School, grades, university and boring jobs seem outdated in a post-pandemic world.
You don’t have to sit in a classroom or read books; you can learn online and offline through conversations, podcasts, or hobbies. I believe continuous learning is imperative nowadays because it helps you understand the world around you and keep your skills and experience updated.
Imagine The Following
Gill made a name for herself in the tough private banking world. She’d networked through the ranks and hobnobbed with royalty and the High Net Worth Individual crowd. She created this ‘iron woman’ persona and wanted those around her to believe she was something too.
The reality couldn’t be more different. Many didn’t know she was ‘faking it whilst trying to make it’. She tried to walk the talk, but she tried too hard, especially when surrounded by people she was trying to impress.
However, only after a health curveball hit her did her story begin to unravel. Having spent a year in and out of hospital, her world was turned upside down. Her clients were beside themselves because their money was invested in her, her health presented her with new challenges, and the pipeline of the latest business was dead.
It turned out she was faking it all along. She wasn’t who she said she was, and those closest to her realised she had fooled them and herself. One of her friends saw the whole friendship and decided to step back. Their friendship was tested when Gill was in the hospital, and one of Gill’s so-called business contacts contacted him.
Dan was surprised by Huw’s request but decided to help out because he knew it was important for Gill even though she was very unwell, and it turned out Huw was doing business behind Gill’s back using her contacts.
When Gill exited the hospital, Dan told her about Huw and how he had helped him financially. Gill was angry with Huw and paid Dan back. Dan also noticed Gill change entirely towards him. She was more frosty and dismissive towards him.
During this time, Gill was chatting with Dan’s friend behind his back. Joe was a Senior Executive, and Gill tried to get him to invest with her. She was desperate for business and would go to lengths to recoup her losses. Dan wasn’t happy with Gill’s behaviour because it was at odds with who she was before the health setback.
Dan appreciated that some people wore masks, but because she was in the people business investing people’s money, he felt she needed to be more transparent and upfront. He would have happily accepted her as she was — an ordinary woman instead of trying to be someone she wasn’t.
Sadly, their friendship fell apart because Dan felt he couldn’t trust her anymore. Gill is trying to rebuild her life, but now she’s having to pick up the pieces with what she has by starting all over again.
Parting Comments
‘Faking it until you make it’ doesn’t work in today’s transparent world because people want to see authenticity, especially when dealing with people. I believe it’s a matter of time before the mask eventually falls off, as we’ve seen in Gill’s case.
Had Gill been honest upfront, she would have saved herself a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety. Instead, she carried on and eventually learned the hard way. Gill also lost the trust of the people around her, especially those who saw the mask fall off right before their eyes.
When you are honest and upfront with people, you’ll gain their trust from the outset, and they’ll champion you as you take steps towards your goals and dreams.
Thank you for your attention.
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