Tea Room Conversation with Ann Ide
“Fake it ‘til you make it.” Have you heard this saying before? It refers to pretending as if something you want is already true or has already happened. You act (or just imagine in your mind) as if it’s real now. Professional athletes use a form of this, called mental rehearsal, with great success. I use it for myself and with coaching clients with success, too.
There’s actually a lot of validity to this approach. The brain does not know the difference between your imagination and what we normally call reality; so it really is “practice”, setting you up for it to really become true.
From a law of attraction perspective, like attracts like. Thus, in principle, the more you pretend or imagine the reality you want to the point of it fully feeling real, the more likely you will attract and create it.
However, there’s a BIG IF that will determine how well this will work for you. IF you have any doubts or conflicting beliefs, it will be like stepping on the gas pedal and brake at the same time. It can even be stressful, if a part of you is thinking, “Who am I kidding?” and you feel inauthentic.
All of your beliefs around what you want have to be in alignment with it. For example, do you believe what you want is possible for you? Do you believe you’re capable enough? Do you believe you deserve it? Do you have any “Yeh buts”? Any conflicting or limiting beliefs will hold you back, or, at the very least, make achieving your dream a lot harder.
Here’s an example from someone in one of our New Possibilities Fundamentals Programs:
“Before being in the program, I had been using Law of Attraction, but I was only getting “okay” results. I was successful in my business, but I worked hard for it. For various reasons, work in my business started cutting back; and I thought I’d have to work even harder, which felt awful.Then, in the program, I discovered that I had the belief that I had to work hard to get money. Since I’ve shifted that belief in the program and learned how to get in “the zone” more easily, I’m busier than ever with my business, but without working hard at it! The business is just coming to me! I even had my best day ever today.”
New Possibilities for You!
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The next time you think about and imagine something you want, pay attention to any “Yeh buts” that come up for you. Those are your limiting beliefs that will hold you back.
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To be honest, beliefs aren’t the easiest thing to change if you don’t know what you’re doing. Trying to change a belief by just “faking it ‘til you make it” can be very slow and very hit or miss. How you can begin to loosen them is by challenging them. Beliefs only seem true. Begin looking for evidence to the contrary. For example, if youbelieve that you have to work hard for money, ask yourself, “Is this true for everyone? Did everyone who made money work hard for it?” Make a list of people you know or know of that have money without working hard or who work joyfully. If you believe it’s possible for them, but not for you, then there’s another limiting belief to work on!
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This step should help shift you into doubting your old belief or at least being more open to something new. After doing this seeking evidence to the contrary step, state how you feel newly: “I am now more open todoubting (your old belief) and I am more open tobelieving (your new desired belief).”
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Now look for evidence to support your new open position!
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It also helps to get outside of your own way of thinking. Who do you know, or know of, that probably has a more positive belief than your limiting one? Imagine being them, inside their mind, and trying on their perspective. This will help to loosen and open up your perspective from seeming like the only “truth” possible. (Remember, a belief only seems true.)
These steps will at least get you started. Maybe even more will happen!