The saying “fake it ‘til you make it” is used way too often by way too many people posing as experts when in fact they know very little about what they’re doing.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It…
can be highly unethical. Would you want someone to rebuild the transmission in your car if they knew next to nothing about transmissions, had never worked on one before, and would be relying on a manual for every single step? You would not.
Want to get surgery from someone who pretends they’re an experienced doctor, when in fact they are not a doctor and you will be their first patient? You would not.
Some of the people who adopt “fake it ’til you make it” are committing fraud.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It: Beware Experts
They are all over the place, in every field imaginable. Health. Wealth. What you should do with your life. How to be wildly successful as a ________.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It Can Be Useful…
in many instances. Scientific studies have shown that “fake it ’til you make it” can have positive benefits. For example, choosing to smile even when you’re not happy will often improve your mood. Assuming a strong and confident posture when you’re feeling nervous can make you less nervous.
Freelance Writing Fakers…
I pay special attention to the “experts” telling you how to be successful as a freelance writer. There ARE experts out there, experts who have spent many years as freelance writers, have very successful careers, and are dedicated to helping others follow in their footsteps.
The fakers, though, are the ones who have been freelancing for six months, a year, maybe even two whole years. They say they’ve made X thousand dollars in a month and you can do so too, if you just follow the formula in their expensive course.
Usually they know about only one specific type of writing, which may not be the type of writing you’re suited for. And even if they are honest and do make a good income in that niche, it doesn’t mean that you will too (although, to be fair, you just might).
Making It Without Faking It as a Freelance Writer
Everyone starting out in a career has to emphasize their strengths while downplaying their weaknesses. But as a professional freelance writer, for example, you must not represent yourself as something you aren’t; potential clients have the right to know your experience and qualifications, and you shouldn’t take any projects that you feel you won’t be able to complete in a professional manner.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get those important first assignments or seek writing projects in niches that are new to you, just that you must not misrepresent what you can do. And if you know you can do a good job on a project, there is no need to point out that you haven’t done that specific type of project before. Just be honest with yourself and make sure you can produce high-quality results.
When you’re just starting, you will likely get lower-paying projects that match what you’re currently able to produce. And that’s fine. Over time you’ll gain more expertise and command higher rates.
Your Take
How do you react to “fake it ’til you make it”? Tell us in the comments below.
My first encounter with one of those self-proclaimed experts happened shortly after I joined LinkedIn. This “writer” was in a couple of writing-related LinkedIn groups, offering questionable advice. I’d exchanged one or two private messages with her, and quickly got the sense she was preparing to ask for referrals. In one message she claimed to have written for one of my biggest clients—a client that just so happens to have a searchable database going back several decades, archiving everything from their print and online publications. I checked. Her byline didn’t show up once. So I called her on it. She tried lying her way out saying she must have confused it with another publication. Yeah, right. I stopped replying to her messages.
A little while later, some of her questionable advice caused an uproar in one of the LinkedIn groups because she’d included a link to something she’d written. It was so poorly written it begged group members to dissect it for all to see. She stopped commenting in that group really fast. A while later I received a promotional message from her, via DM, “inviting” me to take her online writing class. I actually replied, saying something like, “Don’t even waste your time marketing to me. I have way more experience than you’ll probably ever have. Remove me from your mailing list.” Thankfully, I never heard from her again.
The scary part? Her brilliant marketing skills (I’m not being facetious – marketing is her forte) did the trick. People actually buy her crap. Did I say crap? Sorry, I meant ebooks, webinars, and on-line materials.
Paula, I’ve also seen a few of these people with little experience and even less writing skill actually succeeding as freelance writing gurus. Such a waste of time and money for the beginners who get sucked in.
John, interesting take on all this. In the beginning of my writing career (long before the ‘net and before I’m pretty sure, the fake it ’til you make it saying) I actually bought business cards and opened a business checking account before I’d ever been paid to write a word.
I realized fairly quickly that the person I was trying to convince was me! I’d had some good feedback on free writing I’d done and was trying to figure out how to get paid for it.
There is something to be said for a truly positive attitude toward life – it’s more fun and I think I’m more effective on the whole. But I’m not trying to be a surgeon or a safety engineer either, although I can write about both.
You’re right, it’s become a cliche’ hasn’t it… which means there’s a bit of truth in it.
Thanks for the mention,
There are positive psychological benefits in many instances to “assuming the part.” What you did can be very useful.
I seem to have the opposite mindset as the “fake it til you make it” folks. I have the education and experience to be doing better than I am, but I’m terrible at selling myself.
Marketing is difficult for many of us. I focus on discussing my relevant strengths without bragging.
John, having had encounters with the exact type of “expurts” you mention, I applaud this post. Where there is so little knowledge, there is always the oversell. I know two of these sorts of “expurts” who are relentless in their over-tweeting of the same bloody messages. I don’t care if you made countless thousands in your first month of freelancing — come back and tell me about it when you’ve done it for a year or more. I don’t care if I can accelerate my career when the person teaching me has been in business a whopping six months — and doesn’t really write.
I’m great with people faking their confidence in order to get the job done. I’m not okay with people faking how knowledgeable they are.
“I’m great with people faking their confidence in order to get the job done. I’m not okay with people faking how knowledgeable they are.” Exactly!
And I think many of the “expurts” cherry pick their earnings. I’ve had months where it just so happened I got $10,000 in payments. I could say “I make $10,000 a month,” but that’s ignoring the zero income I had the month before and the month after.
Hey John, thanks for sharing this! I think the fake it until you make it culture is dangerous, you can’t build a long term business this way!
Instead of pretending i think anybody can actually just share their honest experiences, we are all unique!
Thanks,
Nick