Fake it till you make it!

One of the first direct marketing companies I joined over 10 years ago had dozens of successful distributors that didn’t have to fake anything. Most of them not only pulled in thousands a month in residual income, but had their own instructional and motivational books or audio tapes (pre-CD). They came from all walks of life and parts of the country. Education was insignificant, as was appearance, experience, or stage presence.

There were a few things they all had in common, and that’s where they made their money. It had nothing to do with some secret sales technique or magnetic personality. Most of them had no background in professional sales or marketing. One was a farmer, another a housewife, and even a former minister rose to the top of the company pay plan.

So what was it they possessed that allowed this incredible success, this lifestyle and fame? As I sat focused on every word they uttered, in person or listening to a recorded speech in my car, my “mobile university”, they all made it crystal clear;

Fake it till you make it

Now that exact phrase wasn’t used by all of these superstars, in fact I can recall only one particular person using the term to open a presentation. I think he may have had a tape produced under that title as well. But it was certainly “implied” by all, through a series of suggestions.

One key suggestion is a prerequisite for all “self-improvement” seminars, books, and by the recognized “mentors”. From the classic by the Napoleon Hill, “Think and Grow Rich”, or “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen, to the more modern day authors like Robert Kiyosaki, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad“. It’s all about what you “Think” about.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book/movie “The Secret“, “What you think about, you bring about“.  Quoting almost every self-proclaimed success guru, your thoughts are things, and you will become that which you continually think about. Your dominate thoughts must be of abundance, success, and wealth.

Dreams or goals come next, according to all the avatars, old and new. You must as some have claimed, “set a goal so big it scares you, a dream so profound it makes you shake”. Yet is has to be specific, you have to decide what it is you “really want”. If it’s true that “God gives each one of us more than enough talent and ability to achieve almost anything we can conceive in life“, then why limit yourself to a low level Dream? Aim high and think lofty thoughts. Quoting Eleanore Roosevelt;

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

So you must BELIEVE that you can achieve your dreams. Visualize it, feel it, like you own it, like its already a reality.  That new house, car, spouse, bank account, lifestyle or whatever it is you really want, believe you are worthy of acquiring it, and that its on the way. So many people think they aren’t capable of sustained success. They allow doubt and dissenters to steal their dreams and lose hope. Belief gives your dreams power and protects you from the slings and arrows of life…

To ACT is the final phase of the success process, where the cognitive transforms into ACTION. This is where most fledgling entrepreneurs fail. You must DO something every day that moves your goals and dreams forward. All the “thinking” in the world will evaporate in the ether without action, and your goals become “pipe dreams”. Without action you have no traction…

Over the years I’ve accumulated a library consisting of practically every success and self-improvement book known to man. It became my passion, my “Plan B”, and I’ve lost count as to how many “business opportunities” I acted upon. I even developed a brand that made it all the way into national pharmacies (Transdermis Scar Therapy), with moderate success. Yet after partnering with a marketing company that had a different agenda, my “dream” died on the vine…

As those that came before me, I too must “Fake it till I make it“, working and waiting patiently for my ship to come in. I “think” thats what we all must do if dreams are to come true…