Fake it till you make it! What do you think?

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So I have been into personal development for about 2 years now. Since I have been my life has completely turned around for the better! When I first started I listened to different speakers then I do now...

One of the first things I heard in my journey was a great quote "Fake it till you make it!". This really clicked with me at the time, Idk why. I started doing everything I saw other successful people doing even when I was broke. I bought a watch, started dressing nice for work, cleaning my car and house, I constantly started talking about finances and money. Anyways things were going well.

As my journey continued about 6 months ago I read "The 7 habits of highly effective people" by stephen covey and it has again rejuvenated me. But Dr. Covey is much like the opposite of "Fake it till you make it". He expressed you can't fake it, everything in life is based around principles.

I started to think hard on this and I believe its true. I started to realize some of the people I use to listen to were not so focused on how to be...they were more into how to appear to others and the law of attarction.

Do you guys think some of the personal development coaches preach to much about personality ethics (how to appear to be) instead of the charther ethics (how to actually be)? Who do you like and dislike?
#fake #make #till
  • Profile picture of the author youngprepro
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    • Profile picture of the author steven-brandon88
      I hate the concept of fake it to you make it because for most people it doesnt work. How can you pretend to be a business leader when you have no idea what your doin and people see right through this. this ruins reputations and wastes time.

      Instead people should focus on developing a skill and offering it as a service or product.
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  • Profile picture of the author rmolina88
    It's kind of hard for me to fake how much I dislike my job, but I can't fake the joy that IM may bring me in the future!
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    • Profile picture of the author MatthewM
      Definitely don't fake it till you make it. Most people see right through the bull stuff.

      Market other niches outside it IM. Make your success their so you have something to write/blog about when you cross over to IM niche
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew O
    Are you referring to pretending (only to yourself) that you are already successful, or going out there and telling others about your "fake" accomplishments?

    The second one is obviously a no-no, but the first can have it's benefits. For example: if you wake up every day and say "I'm so happy to have already reached my goals!" that creates a great feeling of success and motivation that you can use throughout your day. I wouldn't call it "faking it" I would call it visualization, and it can be a big help in achieving your goals.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jimmy Reilly
      Act as if! That's what Ben Affleck taught me.
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    • Profile picture of the author KristieDean
      Originally Posted by AndrewOlson View Post

      Are you referring to pretending (only to yourself) that you are already successful, or going out there and telling others about your "fake" accomplishments?

      The second one is obviously a no-no, but the first can have it's benefits. For example: if you wake up every day and say "I'm so happy to have already reached my goals!" that creates a great feeling of success and motivation that you can use throughout your day. I wouldn't call it "faking it" I would call it visualization, and it can be a big help in achieving your goals.
      I agree - fake it till you make it can help in certain situations. It can help a person realize how he/she needs to act in a certain situation, and it can give a person self-confidence. However, you can't fake credentials or make up information about yourself. That's immoral.
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    • Profile picture of the author WorkSatisfaction
      I have to agree that nobody likes a show-off or someone who pretends and 'faking it till you make it' often means that we are not being true to ourselves or to others.

      I do however believe that the mind is an extremely powerful tool and having a positive outlook on everything including life, success, love etc usually means that the battle will be won far sooner than if your outlook were negative instead.

      It just makes sense that positive people generally are more productive people as they have less 'baggage' and 'worries' to carry around in addition to working towards living full, happy and successful lives.

      You can therefore harness the power of your mind to help you focus on acquiring the tools you will need to achieve the dreams towards which you strive in life and in business. Once you do this 'faking' will no longer be required.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eric Nishio
    Faking till you make it is an interesting idea, but I think it's too vulnerable to pursue seriously. As MatthewM said, most experts will see through the shield anyway. But I wouldn't consider having a nice wardrobe faking, unless you're buying loads of luxuries from Gucci and LV. Surely there's an unavoidable degree of fakeness attached to wearing nice clothes, but I'm sure most employers and clients appreciate it that someone they're working with shows respect by choosing not to do business in shorts and Crocs.
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  • Profile picture of the author defaultuser
    There is a big difference between the two. I was always told to fake it till you make it. But it never worked for me.

    As soon as I started making money through my own information product things just clicked.

    If fake it till you make it worked for me, I wouldn't know as much as I do.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      Don't fake it. Just keep the attitude that you are a winner,
      regardless of where you are at.

      In public, err on the side of humbleness.

      I remember a parable.
      (don't worry, no religion here)

      It goes like this. When invited to a dinner, do not
      sit in the highest place of honor. You may be told
      to get up and move to the end. You will be disgraced.
      Instead, sit at the lowest spot first. Then when the
      host sees you there, he will ask you to come up
      closer. You will then be honored.

      Remember Warren Buffet is called the Oracle of Omaha
      because he still lives in a 5 bedroom house he bought in
      1957 in Omaha. He is a fan of Dale Carnegie's stuff. I think
      Mr. Buffet has lived his entire life in Omaha. Or at least
      that what he puts out there. He errs on the side of humbleness.

      So instead of fake it till you make it, how about fake like you
      didn't make it?

      Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author TheBryan
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        • Profile picture of the author Global Greg
          Right now is the only moment that exists!

          Too many people think something like "fake it til you make it" means that you should go around writing about how you made $2,500,294 in twenty minutes online but you're still sitting here trying to sell a $12 e-book. That isn't "fake it til you make it" that is just "look foolish so you can't possibly make it."

          But also, if you want to be a millionaire, it isn't just going to run up on you one day, you have to become it, it won't become you!

          One of my friends used to always tell me "most people sit here waiting for their situations to change, and their situations are sitting there waiting for THEM to change!" Always remember that, so next time you are thinking of faking it, do what YOU think will make YOU be the person YOU want to be.

          If you genuinely think that telling somebody you made $10 million on internet marketing and can't get out of your moms basement is going to make you a success, then you my friend are most likely on a long and bumpy road. If you spend $60 on a professional phone system instead of new sneakers and pick up the phone as if you were running a million dollar corporation, you my friend are a step closer to your new self.

          So don't let others generalize what you do. There is no right or wrong. Do you and do it well! There is no half stepping in the game of life, either go hard or go home.

          And also, you must understand. If your dream is to become a millionaire and you have $30 in your bank account, at some point you will have to change. You are not going to be the same person. So in the beginning it might seem as if you're faking it, but crossing the bridge is the only way to get to the other side, so at some point you will have to fake yourself out and take the steps to becoming the person you want to be, which is in fact not the person you are today!

          So in the words of the comedian Katt Williams - "do you boo boo!"
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  • Profile picture of the author ellewong
    This is like a catch 22 huh. How do you get people to listen to you when you've not made it?

    Well, I disgree with faking it in order to make it.

    You don't always need to make income claims in order to get people to listen to you. In fact, one of my mentors do not drive one of those high flying cars, wear expensive watches, etc. Instead he is very humble but because of the immense value that he provides.. and that actually works when I apply them, I just listen and follow

    So my take is just focus on continuous learning and provide immense value.
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    • Profile picture of the author swilliams09
      I always took fake it until you make to be a mindset thing than a physical trait thing. Instead of wearing suits and driving expensive cars I can't afford its more about me adopting the mindset of a winner. I may not be a mogul yet, but in my mind I am thinking like a mogul and carry myself like one. I may not have the experience and the confidence from closing million dollar deals but I will play it cool like I've done it a thousand times. Its more like WWDTD, "What Would Donald Trump Do?" and less like PTDLALD "Pretend To Dress And Live like Donald Trump".
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  • Profile picture of the author Caroline Lingard
    'Fake it' is the wrong term. 'Act as if' is the right one. Its a mindset thing based on 'what you think about you bring about'. In other words, if you have belief thoughts of faking you will only ever manifest more faking. If however you have thoughts of 'act as if' then you are having belief thoughts that you have already succeeded and so will eventually manifest success.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Fake it until you make it = become successful more quickly, usually.

    Covey's principle = usually takes a longer time to become successful.

    Any wildly successful person faked it until they made it. You aren't likely to achieve stupendous things by trusting appearances. This is why most people spend life going around in circles. See appearance: I'm broke. Make deduction: I must be poor. Cycle continues until death or faking that they are rich.

    When I began faking it my life changed dramatically. I became happier since I've realized appearances are temporary and fleeting. The truth behind these appearances resides in my mind.

    Ryan
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  • Profile picture of the author vivifoster
    i read the secret and i read the 7 habits.. the secret tells you that you need to feel it, breath it as if it 's there and it will happen. 7 habits tells the opposite.

    i think fake it till you make it is what the secret is telling. they just use fake it to sound funny. i have no problems with it as long as you're not hurting anyone. don't fake it by owing a lot, buy what you can buy, do what you can do. don't limit yourself.
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  • Profile picture of the author ASCW
    Faking it until you make it can be a useful tool when you are just starting out. Since usually you have no idea which way to go, or what to pursue. But if you can just fake it you can at least get somewhere and maybe from there you can start building and living around principles.

    (read covey's book myself, big fan.)
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  • Profile picture of the author roxstar
    There is no fake it until you make it. The moment you try is the first step to making it.
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    • Profile picture of the author nepeterson
      Originally Posted by roxstar View Post

      There is no fake it until you make it. The moment you try is the first step to making it.
      Agreed!

      Why fake it at all? If you have a clear picture in your mind of your success, and are grateful for it as if it were already true; the universe will do everything and anything to make sure that it is realized.
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  • Profile picture of the author Denise Oyston
    Hi AW

    If you have not read anything by Esther and Jerry Hicks. Head over to Amazon now!! They have a bookMoney and the Law of attractions. It Costs less than $10 andd will change your life..
    Everything starts with vibration first. Change that and you will attract things of similar vibration. That is how it works. I could go on and on about how this works.

    Fake it till you make it does work. Just look at an athletes regime. The brain does not know the diiference between real and imagined so that is the principle of how it works.

    Covey is good and yet he is very "head" centred rather than feeling. Feeling will win anytime.

    Cheers and Good luck to you

    Denise
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  • Profile picture of the author solardave
    Originally Posted by Black Magick View Post

    This is what Napoleon Hill talks about in The Law Of Success. A lot of people don't truly understand what this term means. It doesn't mean that you go around telling lies about your life or anything like that. "Fake It Til' You Make It" is another way of saying feel good right now! The way you're gonna feel when you achieved your goal, feel that way right now as if it's already yours. Another thing is to look the part. When I first started with this philosophy, I changed my appearance to a more professional, clean-cut style. Not that I was trying to pretend to be already rich, but to think and look the part gave me a boost in confidence.
    I agree here. I first heard this saying 30 some years ago at a meeting. It changed my life in the context that it was given. I'm fairly new to IM and maybe I'm not making it yet but I am not faking it either. I think in this business FITYMI has to be a mindset not so much applying to knowledge as it does to believe that we can do this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Edk
    Both sides are actually right
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    • Profile picture of the author webwriter
      Well, you've got to begin somewhere and if you temporarily "fake it until you make it," you're probably off to a very positive start. It takes a lot of faith and confidence in oneself to pursue IM, especially the belief that you can indeed do it and become successful.

      In the meantime, you're attracting more positive vibes and if you persist and not give up, you'll soon reach a point at which you can shed the "faking" part and start "making it" for real.
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      • Profile picture of the author paulgl
        Just remember. Bernie Madoff faked it, never made it.

        And where is he?

        If you are talking about putting your mind in a successful
        thinking mode, no problem. But faking it? Perhaps use a
        better term. And only apply this to your mindset.
        Not your lifestyle or business propositions.

        Faking has the connotation of pulling the wool over people's
        eyes. Like the great pretender. That's different than wanting
        to a consultant and putting together a smart looking office
        that exudes confidence. Is that faking that you are successful?
        I don't think so.

        Exude confidence!

        Paul
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        • Profile picture of the author webwriter
          Yes, I meant putting one's mind into a successful thinking mode.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sheryl Polomka
    Don't fake it. Just keep the attitude that you are a winner,
    regardless of where you are at.
    I agree with this, you need the right attitude. The problem with faking it is how far do you take that faking? Do you fill your salespage with lies about how successful you are? Or do you just fake it by dressing and acting like you are successful?

    I don't think there is a problem with faking it as in dressing like you are successful and having a successful attitude - that really isn't faking it anyway in my opinion, it is dressing and having the attitude of the person you want to be and are aiming to be.

    When faking it becomes lying about who you are and how successful you are, then that is when it becomes wrong.

    I do believe you need to have the right attitude, the successful attitude, if you want to be successful. But you can have that attitude without faking it.
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  • Profile picture of the author believemarketing
    yeap if you know its got to happen it will happen, especially if you have done your homework and well prepared for the battle.... just keep at it and improvise... eventually success is inevitable...

    its all in the mind... people tend to get discouraged when they do not see result...

    as for faking it I guess most people do this to a certain degree and for different purposes, especially when it's 'required'. my opinion anyway
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  • Profile picture of the author Lefty4237
    Interesting comments and points for both sides of the coin. Here's food for thought:

    Denise Oyston was right on when she mentioned the brain doesn't know the difference between real and imagined. Brain reasearch has proven this. Also, the brain cannot tell the difference between true and false.

    In other words, the subconscious does not judge - it just accepts. The problem is the conscious mind which filters everything.

    Fake it 'til you make it is not about pretending to others you are somebody you are not. It is meant to help you develop the mindset of a successful person - and not deceive anyone else.

    If you really want to get into it, who you think you are today is a lie. Your current beliefs, habits and actions are mainly the end result of how you learned to please (or displease) your primary caregivers - so in reality you are behaving in a manner that is congruent with your childhood lessons.

    The only exceptions to this are those who have made the effort and taken steps to actually change their belief structure.

    Think about it, when we set goals and affirm them in the present tense, aren't we lying to ourselves? Of course we are!

    Reality is what you choose to make it. It all begins with a lie (untruth) which we focus our energy on until it becomes our new reality.
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    • Profile picture of the author strambo
      I think that quote is great to help tentative and unsure people step out of their comfort zone and have the confidence to take action which is the biggest hurdle for most.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vic Chan
    I don't like the idea of faking it... but I do like the idea of imagining as if I already there.

    It's just me though.. not sure about others.
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  • Profile picture of the author BryansFitWorld
    Originally Posted by awbarton222 View Post

    So I have been into personal development for about 2 years now. Since I have been my life has completely turned around for the better! When I first started I listened to different speakers then I do now...

    One of the first things I heard in my journey was a great quote "Fake it till you make it!". This really clicked with me at the time, Idk why. I started doing everything I saw other successful people doing even when I was broke. I bought a watch, started dressing nice for work, cleaning my car and house, I constantly started talking about finances and money. Anyways things were going well.

    As my journey continued about 6 months ago I read "The 7 habits of highly effective people" by stephen covey and it has again rejuvenated me. But Dr. Covey is much like the opposite of "Fake it till you make it". He expressed you can't fake it, everything in life is based around principles.

    I started to think hard on this and I believe its true. I started to realize some of the people I use to listen to were not so focused on how to be...they were more into how to appear to others and the law of attarction.

    Do you guys think some of the personal development coaches preach to much about personality ethics (how to appear to be) instead of the charther ethics (how to actually be)? Who do you like and dislike?
    I thinkg like with making money online, there are LOTS of different ways to achieve the same thing, like personality ethics like faking til you make it or just principles, I had an argument with a mate of mine who believes in NOT learning from people like Tony Robbins and instead to "trial an error in life" to me thats a waste of time. I mean, its like saying, you should go catch fish with your bare hands instead of buying a fishing rod, for me I personally like to buy the whole fishing net the zie of the football pitch.

    In other words I personally like to learn from other peoples success and then apply the best bits and apply other peoples best bits and rinse and repeat, so far. that has got me an amazing girlfriend and really sooner to be wife, I got myself out of my parents place just a year ago by sorting out my finances, I got my personal training qualification that I "didnt have time for" in the past, I'm publishing a book on amazon next month, I'm creating a mentorship course online for fitness and many more good stuff to list here

    IM is my primary goal, I havent made anything yet but the methods I'm using is getting more and mroe refined and I KNOW I'll get there, so if thats fake it til you make it then thats me
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  • Profile picture of the author rcritchett
    Great post, great replies. I agree with those of you who said it's more of feeling and being who or where you want to be NOW. It can totally be misconstrued into something a bit deceptive and like everyone said, people can pretty much read that. I truly do emulate the people I want to be more like, their traits, qualities and even different parts of their personality but I use it more like how Emerson said it, "In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil." I think to a degree what Napoleon Hill, and many other people are trying to say is to utilize the power that most of us have discovered and know is crucial in our achievements in life, the power of belief. Believing that you're a "successful entrepreneur" or a "great conversationalist," will invariably bring forth those skill sets or traits! As long as you stay consistent!
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  • Profile picture of the author HOMELESS BUM
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    • Profile picture of the author midwestmedia
      I think a reasonable way to think of it that probably satisfies both opinions on this issue is to behave your way to success.

      Most of what you mentioned in your original post talks about behaviors. What caught my eye was the part about keeping your home and car clean. You're behaving the way you perceive a successful person would behave and that's an entirely appropriate way to "fake it until you make it" if you want to use that terminology. It's taking traits in people you perceive to be successful, traits which are based in behavior, and adopting them for yourself until they become a habit that is actually real and not fake for you.

      I also believe in the idea that if you have a job, you dress and behave for the job you want, not the one you have. If your co-workers are showing up in casual wear and the boss is wearing a nicer outfit even on casual Friday, you do the same. You model after the people who are already where you want to be. That doesn't make it fake, it makes it aspirational. You get noticed by the higher-ups.

      This can apply to life as a self-employed person too. There's nothing wrong with choosing to model traits that can become habits for you. I don't think there's anything fake about that. As long as you aren't lying to yourself or others and are simply trying to aspire to something you'd like to model.
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  • Profile picture of the author Groovystar
    ...Hard to fake that 30" monitor I can't afford to get XD

    Why view it as faking it? If you can afford it and it helps bolster your confidence, it isn't fake at all, it is something real that can be a permanent part of your life regardless of income or lifestyle. You do what works for you. It's only fake if you perceive it as such, in this case.
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  • Profile picture of the author sparkingproducts
    Don't fake it...learn it.
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  • Profile picture of the author OLOORE
    Fake it until you make it can be said to be right, IF AND ONLY WHEN you ain't being deceptive. It has to do with the attitude of being heavily optimistic that you'll arrive at your expected PLACE. Because you are certainly DOING what others did to arrive at the same place. When faking it until you make it boils down to telling stories of already arriving when you are yet to, it's plain dumbness. I guess we just have to begin to find better ways of presenting our ideas so that many are not led astray.
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  • "Fake it till you make it" is really just a catchy strapline to help you remember the principle - to get it to stick inside your head. The problem comes when you make a literal interpretation which is not what it is built for.

    Fake it till you make it really is about "act as if". It's purpose is severalfold. As someone has already pointed out in this thread it's partly about getting yourself over a hurdle. You have spent years being conditioned to be a certain way. That's why you are where you are right now. You need a paradigm shift (yes fake it till you make it isn't the total opposite of Covey). Something that starts to create a condition change in your head.

    Your mind (as someone has already pointed out) cannot distinguish between real and imagined. By starting with the act as if process, you are starting to lay new thought patterns down in your brain.

    The big mistake many people think is that this is all about dressing the part and splashing out on watches & jewellery you can ill afford. This is only part of the story and there's something else you need to remember. The average Joe will go and pay the ticket price for the Rolex. A millionaire would not. He knows where to get the discount.

    Like I say this isn't solely about dressing the part and showboating. It's about modelling the behaviours of the wealthy because you need to mirror the activity that makes them wealthy if you too want to be wealthy. Eating Caviar and drinking Champagne on a yacht in Monte Carlo does not make a man or a woman wealthy.

    They are the rewards for the behaviours. When you see that you are catching them at play. What you need to be doing is catching them at work. It is there that you see them doing the things you need to learn to do because that's where they are making their money. They speak a different language, they spend their time doing different things and being in different places to those that aren't rich.

    Fake it till you make it isn't about pretending to other that you're already there. It's about getting yourself over the first hurdle of not believing in yourself. Put yourself where the wealthy are. You don't have to pretend your wealthy to them - you just need to show them it's where you want to go. Be honest and tell them you're not where you want to be right now but you're on your way.

    You never know - they might just show you where the shortcuts are.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Tees
    I really don’t consider my approach to be deceptive. I have always promoted myself as being the person I’d like to be, a highly successful alpha male who lives a life of abundance. A person who leads and others follow, who speaks and others listen. Slowly but surly after portraying myself in this way, it became a reality.
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  • Profile picture of the author quick_silver
    Sounds great...It's a positive thing to have goals and I agree to an extent(high profile all the way), just a suggestion(for what it's worth to you),...especially with social media..just be who you are,.. the new smart for internet marketing is not being glamorous, but real with others. We carry our macho bravado so far sometimes we don't listen to others. Just experience in my own personal life. I know you will do well and hope things go really good for you.
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  • Profile picture of the author markament
    No one can really "fake" anything about who they really are. Set goals, make a plan and stick to it until you get there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lazy
    While I believe dishonesty should most certainly be punished, faking it til you make it doesn't have to mean being dishonest.

    I "faked it" when I was first starting out, and by that I mean I told myself that I was good at this, and that I knew what I was doing. Eventually, I was good at it and I did know what I was doing. My clients can definitely see that.

    If you're trying to get into marketing, and you lack self confidence, you better fix that real quick, or you better get into a different industry.
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  • Profile picture of the author assertiveone
    Randy Gage says "Faith 'til you can make it" Sounds better to me.
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  • Profile picture of the author DIGITALCHAMELEON
    Not a good idea.
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    • Profile picture of the author Matthew Duggan
      While I don't believe in 'Fake it 'til you make it', I do think you have to be willing to establish yourself as the expert relatively early on.

      I agree that success and the way you build that success is based on principles which you need to adhere to. At the same time, I think you need to be aware of the value you possess and that you can share with the world.

      I've been working on this idea a fair bit recently with my recent product and there's a big difference between faking it and actually doing it until you make it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jacob Hargreave
        Ah the famous catch phrase. This does bring back memories that still today make me chuckle. I'm afraid the catch phrase over the years has lost it's true meaning. As Andrew Leather land clearly pointed out it's only meant to take on the habits of the subject in question.

        If you want to be a successful business man model yourself after your favorite and adapt their principles and habits into your life. Doing this almost always results in becoming what you model yourself after.

        Unfortunately for the... miss guided they take the catch phrase radically out of context and become almost delusional in their applications. Pretending to be whatever it is they are trying to model just as a child would pretending to be his or her favorite super hero.
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        Jacob Hargreave at your service...

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  • Profile picture of the author yesmedia
    Why fake it? Be who you want to be. Faking is not real, and why would anyone want to not be real? Fake people suck.
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  • Profile picture of the author vincent88
    Originally Posted by Gordon Gekko View Post

    This is what Napoleon Hill talks about in The Law Of Success. A lot of people don't truly understand what this term means. It doesn't mean that you go around telling lies about your life or anything like that. "Fake It Til' You Make It" is another way of saying feel good right now! The way you're gonna feel when you achieved your goal, feel that way right now as if it's already yours. Another thing is to look the part. When I first started with this philosophy, I changed my appearance to a more professional, clean-cut style. Not that I was trying to pretend to be already rich, but to think and look the part gave me a boost in confidence.
    This idea is really interesting, but I have to agree with Napoleon Hill, it is about how to feel good all the time to achieve what you want to make. There is nothing wrong with the phrase, I guess, but it can be misleading, I prefer use more appropriate phrase with "Imaginate it till you make it!"
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    • Profile picture of the author yesmedia
      Originally Posted by vincent88 View Post

      This idea is really interesting, but I have to agree with Napoleon Hill, it is about how to feel good all the time to achieve what you want to make. There is nothing wrong with the phrase, I guess, but it can be misleading, I prefer use more appropriate phrase with "Imaginate it till you make it!"

      I agree, most times when I come across people that are "faking" it, it just comes off as egotistical and insecure. Imagine is a much better word to describe the idea.
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      • Profile picture of the author thriftgirl62
        Originally Posted by Jimmy Reilly View Post

        Act as if! That's what Ben Affleck taught me.
        Originally Posted by Caroline Lingard View Post

        'Fake it' is the wrong term. 'Act as if' is the right one. Its a mindset thing based on 'what you think about you bring about'. In other words, if you have belief thoughts of faking you will only ever manifest more faking. If however you have thoughts of 'act as if' then you are having belief thoughts that you have already succeeded and so will eventually manifest success.
        Well Am I Glad I Read this thread first! You two beat me to the punch. Absolutely "act as if" not fake anything. I have read "Bits & Pieces" for over 30 years and that's where I learned what the 3 most important words in the English language are: "act as if" because if you do that long enough pretty soon you won't be acting anymore.
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        • Profile picture of the author Monteath
          I think the concept intended with that phrase is 100% dead on. When you exude confidence, more people are attracted to you whether it's dating, business, or otherwise. Dressing up makes you feel good because you look good and a lot of studies have shown that a messy room/home/work area translates in your mind to extra stress and disorganization while being cleaned and organized takes away from stress and helps you think more clearly. It's either a vicious circle or a positive circle depending on which way you're going. I'm a fan of the concept, as long as you understand it.
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        • Profile picture of the author dtaylor
          A very successful businessman was my mentor when I was first starting out in sales and marketing.

          He started his company in New Jersey, in a very competitive marketplace with no money.

          He told me he started his company with $1 Million Dollars.....In His Mind.

          Each morning he would get up early to plan his day. A part of his planning involved asking himself "What would I do to grow my business with $1 Million Dollars in working capital?" Surprisingly, most of what he would do with a million $$$ was exactly what he was doing without a million $$$, just on a different scale.

          He would act as if he already had the million $$$.

          He grew a very successful business and taught quite a few of us green rookies a few things along the way.

          RIP Arnie

          DTaylor
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  • Profile picture of the author enterpryzman
    This concept can be credited to the MLM industry and that was how you could draw new marketers into your downline.

    This is a bunch of crap !

    You do need to have a good mindset BUT, that is not the same as faking anything. I surrounded myself with like minded individuals who have similar desires and are moving forward towards their goals.

    You become what you surround yourself with......if your circle is made of successful individuals-you can more easily become the same. If you are in jail-you will most likely become a criminal, pretty basic concept that does have exceptions yet not many.

    Nature vs. Nurture....the great debate.

    Enterpryzman
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  • Profile picture of the author brendan9971
    I really dislike the fake it til you make it concept as well. I'm a big fan of covey and wayne dyer. Bring positive people and abundance into your life by improving yourself and focusing on abundance.
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    • Profile picture of the author Iqball
      "Fake it till you make it! What do you think?"

      Well there is one caveat to this mantra, i must
      hasten to add Warriors, which is:

      'Check yourself before you wreck yourself!'

      :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author magnates
    Most people misunderstand what fake it till you make it means . It does not be lie to yourself and pretend to be someone you are not . I think is all all about embracing new successful habits that successful people practice everyday knowing where it would lead you while feeling and looking good right now
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