Let us take a brief experiential look at one aspect of how our minds works and apply it to the “fake it till you make it principle”. The fake it till you make it principle is one where we act as if. For instance, if we wish to appear more peaceful, we act as if we already are peaceful. At first it will feel incongruous but as time goes on our psyche begins to take on the properties of peacefulness. In order to get an immediate feel for this principle, try the following with as much conviction as possible:
Imagine a bright yellow juicy lemon which is cut in half. Really try and visualize it in your mind’s eye with perhaps a few drops of lemon juice just starting to appear on its cut surface. Then imagine how it feels in the palm of your hand. Again, try and replicate the feeling of the lemons rough yellow skin in your hands. Next hold the lemon close to your nose. Deeply breathe in the lemon scent. Imagine taking a few deep breathes of the lemon scent until the scent fills your nostril.
Then take a bite out of the lemon. Allow the juices of the lemon to swish around in your mouth. Feel the juice inside of your mouth. As best as you can try and really gain a sense of eating the lemon.
Now notice if your salivating? Most people will respond with a yes.
When we cycle through different senses as we did in the above example, the mind creates an illusion so powerful that our bodies have great difficulty distinguishing between eating a real lemon or an imaginary one.
If we use the same principle, we can make changes in many different areas of our lives. Essentially, it is a powerful type of fake it till you make it technique because we are really employing different illusory senses to make it seem real. It’s the bringing of as many various sources that can really power the method of faking it till you make it. Things start to become real even though initially it is an act.
If you would like to attempt something a little more practical, try and apply these same principles to self-confidence and see how you go.