Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality. – Earl Nightingale

Title credit goes to my friend Sarah, who asked on Facebook today if this were a more polite way of saying fake it ’til you make it.  When I shared the quote, I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it really is.  While I don’t condone pretending to be something you’re not, I do believe in pretending to be something you want to be in order to make it happen.  Now obviously, you can’t pretend to be a doctor and poof you’re a doctor.  But if you’re studying to become a doctor and you keep telling yourself that you’re going to be a doctor, you’re going to make it happen.  It will help to give you the extra umph you may need to get through all the grueling hours of study.

The same could be said for being more confident, or out going.  I am not an outgoing, confident person.  In fact, I am a very introverted person.  I don’t like standing out in any way shape or form.  I’m also fairly uncoordinated, can’t do a cartwheel and I can’t do a split.  What does any of that have to do with anything?  Well, at one point in my life, I, the uncoordinated introvert was a college cheerleader. You may wonder how that happened.  Seriously, I faked it til I made it.  I slapped a smile on my face, I never gave up, I kept trying and trying and at the end of try outs, I still couldn’t do a cartwheel or a split, but I made the squad. Why?  Because of the smile and the “I’m a cheerleader” attitude I wore.

So when there is something that you want, imagine that you have it.  Act like you have it, and convince yourself you have it.  It may be a new job, it may be a relationship, it may be fitting into a smaller sized jeans.  Do what you have to do to achieve your goals, but also continue to fake it til you make it!