Have you ever heard someone express, “Fake it ‘til you make it?” This is a fairly popular cliché that essentially encourages imitating confidence and competence until you develop it. It can be seen as a way of getting something without putting in the effort. While it is a catchy-sounding phrase, the reality is that fake it ‘til you make it doesn’t work! 

Don’t get me wrong – there is certainly something to be said about stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on new challenges. However, the problem with faking it – whether it is your abilities or your personality – is that it ends. Fake it ‘til you make it is not sustainable and is a façade that cannot be maintained. It also serves to mask who you truly are. 

What should you do instead of faking it ‘til you make it? Here are some easy ways to build confidence and skills without having to sacrifice your identity.

Strengthen Your Soft & Hard Skills

Why fake it when you can simply learn the skills your need to succeed? In fact, every professional should be continually working to strengthen their skills and abilities as part of the natural growth process. Identify the skills you most want to master or improve and create a professional development plan for how to achieve them. 

This certainly includes hard skills which are typically conceptualized as a skill or level of knowledge. These may include things like Excel, coding, or knowledge of marketing segmentation. However, it includes soft skills as well. These are skills that are involved relationally. Soft skills include active listening, leadership, conflict resolution, and many other things. Growing your skills will improve your effectiveness, productivity, and confidence.

Embrace Vulnerability

The adage “fake it ‘til you make it” makes an assumption that you will hide your faults and trick others into seeing you as a success. This goes against everything we know about authentic leadership. Instead, it is far better to simply embrace your vulnerability. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that you have shortcomings in some areas. After all, no one is perfect.

If you embrace your vulnerability and are authentic in how you present yourself, you will impress others. The reality is that most people prefer to work with people who are self-aware and empathetic. Just think about your own preferences. Do you like surrounding yourself with fake people or those who are true about who they are? The answer is probably quite simple.

Be Genuine & Own Up to It

When you try to fake confidence or abilities, you are projecting a character that is not yourself. Thus, what you are really doing is making your true self invisible. People who work with you will build relationships with this fake identity rather than the real you. This can take its toll over time. 

Instead, I implore you to make the decision to be genuine. By being your true self, you can project an accurate picture of your talents and abilities and own up to them. When you begin to own up to who you are and where you are in your career, you can start embracing it. This can lead to future growth and positioning yourself to achieve your goals.

Final Thoughts

The concept of faking it until you make it may sound catchy but is really horrible advice. After all, no one wants to have to fake their identity in order to be viewed as valid in life. Instead of putting up a façade, try to develop missing skills that you want to obtain while being genuine and vulnerable when it comes to areas of growth. These steps will help you be a far better leader than someone who simply tries to fake their way to success.