Photo of Ayanda Sithole

 How to fake it till you make it  

It’s often said that the trick to success is pretending that you are confident enough to overcome anything. We find out if this attitude really works.

By Boitumelo Mmakou

Is the idea of facing challenges head on freaking you out? Perhaps faking it could give you the boost you need to get through whatever it is that you fear doing. Clinical psychologist Sandra Brownrigg confirms that faking it till you make it works, and how you can do it to achieve real confidence.

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The different reasons. The more you put yourself out there, higher the chances of you being a success. Your positive thoughts attract positive actions. People’s reasons for pretending to be confident vary, some do it to attract a crush, while others want to impress their employer or a friend. Whatever the reason, you would have to invent a false impression of who you are.

Confidence. Being truly confident is not the same as faking it, because with confidence comes the certainty that you are the best. When you are confident you have a sense of belief in yourself. People who fake it usually lack confidence and find it necessary to fool themselves and others into seeing them as capable.

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Imitating confidence. By faking it you increase the chances of you becoming confident in real life, which can help personal growth and be beneficial for you in the work place when you want a promotion. People can gain your respect and know your strengths instead of your weaknesses.

How it’s done. Be open to learning and put yourself out there, taking in as much as you can to grow mentally. Be genuine and know your weaknesses in order to build strength from them. Finally, Reflect and be aware of who you are and what you want to achieve, and work on improving yourself.

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