Can I Fake it Until I make it?

Let’s look a little closer at this “fake it to you make it” phrase. Saying they were just faking kind of tells your brain something about yourself, which is not so good. Once faking it becomes your default for dealing with feelings of fear, self-doubt, or whatever, you are on a slippery slope. So maybe we could clean it up a little bit and be more positive. From what I can find out, the phrase “fake it to you make it” is a play on a set of words in a song released in 1968. The song goes – I know I’m faking it. I’m not really making it, by Simon and Garfunkel. The term has picked up a lot of different variations and become very popular. So what should you do?

Focus on being more positive, not on faking it. Figure out what you need to do to accomplish the goal you want. So, what is one to do? All kinds of advice, but in my experience, being positive is the better approach. You could do something like try it, you may like it. Always thought that was a good one.

The beginning of this whole process is the definition of it. That’s the most important thing, I believe. What do you want out of life? What do you want to happen today? Here’s my story for today. I have some negative results from a blood test that I had done recently. I have trouble breathing, stamina issues, and balance issues. Several years ago, I had a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy with early respiratory failure. So now I get all these test results, and I can feel I’m having trouble breathing. I immediately go to the negative side and say okay, this is it. Everything the doctor said would happen is about to happen. The problem with that whole thing is that I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have another test today, and I have a doctor’s appointment. If I go on the assumption that it’s over. Very negative. Most of my day is shot. On the other hand, I could look at this and say that with more information, maybe I could figure out how to handle symptoms better. See what kind of challenge I can get today. Whatever it is, think of something more positive. You don’t know what is going to happen. So you might as well wish for something positive.

This whole discussion is about balance, in my opinion. My goal is to find joy, and happiness in my life. Going back to my doctor’s appointment. The doctor says my muscular dystrophy is progressing very slowly, just as we thought it would. That’s good news. I have lots of time to enjoy life as soon as I get out of this doctor’s office. On the other hand, if after my talk with the doctor, I ignore all the positive news, I say to myself, oh my gosh, he just proved I have a debilitating muscular disease. I now have tunnel vision and miss opportunities to find joy.

In my 80+ years, I can remember so many times that I wasted thinking something bad is going to happen, but that never happened. Think of all the time I could have used creating something wonderful instead of shutting down. So here I am at 80+ years old, thinking positive thoughts. Today is going to be a great day. I know I am doing the fake-it routine, but that’s not necessarily true. What I’m saying is, I intend to have a great day today. This is not being dishonest, and that’s not faking it. This is merely me telling the universe – This is my intention for today.