Sunday, July 30, 2017

Why Fake It Til You Make It?

Fake it til you make it is supposed to refer to your attitude.  Its supposed to be a way to cultivate positive feelings in a person, and research says it works.  If you want to be happy, act happy, and there is a positive feedback that tells your brain you are, but it doesn't just work with happy.  You can act outgoing even if you're not or confident even if you're not.  It sounds like a good tool, right?  Well, when its misused, it's no different than lying.  The best liars believe their own lies, and the result is a society of people I don't want to be around.

I have heard people using the phrase in situations where they will fake a skill set or experience in order to get a job, make connections, or more effectively self promote in some way or another.  Maybe that's just how things work these days, and you have to play along to be on an even playing field.  I can accept this for career related stuff, but people uses it in social settings too just to feel better than someone else. 

Who is served by this anthem.  How can we learn from and inspire each other if everyone is faking it?  How can we accept and understand our own struggles if everyone else pretends not to have any?

Fake it til you make it seems to be a common catchphrase now.  I first heard this phrase many years ago in association with marketing of a clothingmanye and am surprised it is still going strong. As someone who is honest to a fault, the phrase never did resonate with me.

What's the point in pretending to be something you're not?  Why not be yourself instead?  Allow your growth to be seen instead of pretending  things are effortless.  It is more inspiring to see the journey than the product.

I prefer the catchphrase keep it real.