When in Doubt, Pretend

A sage mentor once taught me an important concept. If you are having angst about “moving to the next level,” “getting promoted,” or improving your overall status in some way then the best thing you can do is start acting like what you want to be. That is right, if you want to become something then best thing you can do is to act like you are already there.

Lets say you want to be an entrepreneur. That sounds really exciting, right? Well, you probably want to be that, but do you have any idea what being that is all about? Well, you probably have no clue. So instead of hoping that one day somebody will come along and tap you on the shoulder and give you some magical boon, you can just start acting like an entrepreneur. Do what they do. Read what they read. Go to the same functions, participate in the same types of events. In essence start acting like one.
A funny thing happens to imposters, they become what they are faking. Brittany Spears did not become a famous singer, she acted and faked it for years until one day the world woke up and started calling her a superstar.

You should pretend so well, and act the part so good, that people around you have difficulty seeing the difference between the position you are in versus the position you are pretending to be. Call it being fake, call it non genuine. Whatever. I call it aspiration, ambition. They who wants to become something must first to seek to act like they are already something.

Guy Reams