The saying “fake it till you make it” never sat well with me.
Why do I have to be fake? And when does one make it exactly?
Just recently, however, a similar idea hit me between the eyes that feels like something I can get down with.
Acting ‘as if’.
The idea is simple. Identify who you want to be in the future, or what goals and dreams you might want to achieve, and then act as if you were already that person.
Want to get a promotion at work? Well, act as if you already got it.
Does that change the way you approach work? The confidence you bring? Or the way you interact with your peers?
Dream of having $10mil in the bank? Try acting as if you already had it.
What would you spend your time doing? How would you carry yourself? Who would you spend your time with?
It turns out that in most cases, beyond the material stuff, the difference between your future self and your current self is the narrative in your head.
By acting as if, we’re able to interrupt that narrative. We’re able to act with more confidence, purpose and audacity.
A friend and mentor of mine described it as “building an empathy bridge between your future self and your current self”.
As a bridge enthusiast from way back, I love this.
It’s why I keep writing this blog. I’m acting as if I had 10,000 loyal followers hanging onto my every word. They keep me accountable to show up every week.
The reality that mum might be the only one reading it isn’t important. I mean, at the very least when I go and visit it makes for a more exciting conversation than “Pete, can you help me login to iTunes again?”
So grab the nail and the hammer (obvious bridge construction tools) and start building.