“Don’t fake it till you make it, fake it till you become it.”  

This is the most commonly quoted line from Amy Cuddy’s powerful TED talk on body language. While most people have heard, “Fake It Till You Make It”, the distinction in the Amy Cuddy quote is about incrementally nudging yourself to become the best version of yourself and being present in challenging moments.  In her book, Presence, Amy points out this is NOT about fooling other people to get what you want and having to continue the charade.  It’s about fooling yourself, just a little bit, until you feel more powerful and present and you keep practicing.  Little tweaks lead to big changes.

When facing a potentially difficult or stressful situation, many people often just avoid the situation.  Do you?  Instead, try the “Fake it till you become it” approach.   Do one of the Power Poses I mentioned in my last article from Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on Body Language.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc.  You can also reframe the situation by turning your anxiety into excitement.  Nudge yourself to focus on each moment ahead instead of your performance outcome.  This is a critical mindset shift.  Nudge yourself toward becoming a bolder, more authentic and a more effective version of yourself. Each baby step out of your comfort zone toward a new direction is one step closer to where you want to be!

I’ve been experimenting with this myself.  I had an interview recently, which involved a “mock” coaching session.  I did my Power Pose before and kept my posture open throughout.  I felt excited and capable. I had a “fake till I become it mindset”.   Most importantly for me, I focused on being curious and enjoying the moments as they came NOT focusing on the outcome.  I’ve learned when I focus on the outcome, it’s about me and I get nervous.  When I focus on others and being present in the conversation, it works much better!  I felt great about the interview no matter the outcome.  And I achieved another baby step toward being a “masterful” coach.  Each time we do this, we become closer to being what we aspire, or ultimately believing what we already are!

I’m curious, have you ever tried “faking it till you become it”?  Have you tried a Power Pose?  Share your story by commenting on this article.  Our stories help others learn!