Face It Till You Make It

We’ve all heard or said the phrase “just fake it till you make it” at least once in our lives. We’re so often caught in situations that make us feel unprepared, unworthy or less-than. I’m not writing this because I saw some inspirational quote on Pinterest that I want to elaborate on, I actually want to try to live my life this way. The people closest to me always tell me that I can be a little bit too honest sometimes, and I’m not going to start holding back now. You can’t fake your way through life. Sure, there are going to be plenty of times when you feel unprepared for the road ahead, but let’s change our mindset when it comes to how we view our futures. 

Let’s begin this conversation by talking about school and work. In my high school, I felt surrounded by people with a “get by” attitude. Put in minimal effort, run every resource dry (help from teachers and friends), and get a mediocre to good grade that allows you to continue the same cycle. It seemed like most people didn’t want to work hard towards anything. When I reflect back on these mannerisms, I can’t help but wonder if someone with this mindset is now able to put their head down and face challenges and roadblocks in the real world, or if they’re stuck in the cycle of faking their way through. 

Can faking it really lead to success? This is a question I wonder about often. I listen to several business podcasts where entrepreneurs tell the story about how they had no clue what they were doing, but they still did it. Many would say that this is a prime example of “faking it till you make it,” but I disagree. You see, I believe that faking it only leads you to a point of discontent, whereas facing it can produce real results with a sense of accomplishment. By facing it till you make it, you are able to take on life with a greater sense of appreciation for the journey that led you to success, and sometimes even failure. Facing it is about giving it your all, not giving up when you’re scared of failure and having the confidence - not fakeness - to go after what you’re passionate about. We all have no clue what we’re doing at some, or many, points in our lives. This gives us all the more push to buckle up and face what is placed in our lives with grace and an openness to work hard. 

I would like to share a story about how I’ve been challenged to face a new endeavor in my own life. 2019 is my very first year of photographing weddings on my own. For the past two years, I have been an assistant and second shooter for a number of photographers that I have learned so much from. I decided to take the leap this year and start booking my own clients. At first, this was really scary knowing that I would be tasked at capturing one of the most important days in my client’s lives. I was nervous about not being taken seriously because I’m so young and charging competitive prices to those older than me in the industry. However, as I was booking these weddings and meeting with clients all that was running through my mind was that I was made for this. I was absolutely not faking anything until I made it. I realized that I had prepared so much for these experiences that it was a waste if I didn’t just start facing the next step in my business and embracing the fact that it may be challenging. If I was just faking my way through all of this, wouldn’t that be a disservice to my clients? There are going to be ups and downs with anything, so why not take what you have and where you are and start facing what is right in front of you.

No matter whether you are starting a new venture, preparing for a difficult test or being vulnerable in a friendship, we can all practice facing our fears rather than faking our way through life. On this day, I challenge you to re-evaluate your mindset about the future and embrace the opportunities you are given.