Acting “As If”

I was just reading something that reminded me of a great bit of advice I once received.  If you want to take on a new role or a new position, act as if you are already in that new role or position.

In Gellman, Hayward many people wanted to become partners and my best advice to them was to act as if they were partners.  Do the things you would do if you were a partner.  Interesting that people did not find that helpful.

So let me try to be more helpful.  A person might say "If I were a partner, I would be more confident and acknowledged."  So I say, act as if you were a partner and see what happens.

Now to be more specific for your current situation, what do you want to be when you grow up?  Consider the answer carefully.  After you have given an answer, now consider if were what you want to be, what would you do right now, and right now and right now?  The answer is very revealing and will give you clue on how to become what you want to be. 

Another way of thinking about this, you are not your job.  You are you and you are doing this job the way you would do this job, not the way somebody else would do the job.  Do not do the job the way somebody else would do the job, do it your way.  So act as if you were the person you want to be and you will be that person. 

So the next time I play golf, I will act as if I am a great golfer.  Won’t that be fun? 

  1. Michelle Malay Carter Reply

    Hi Jim,
    Great advice.
    Unfortunately, this works in reverse too. I know a lot of great people who act as if they weren’t worth speaking to or as if they have nothing of value to add to a conversation.
    You can have a million dollars in the bank but act as if you were broke – stressing over every dollar spent, never enjoying a purchase. I know some people like this too.
    Michelle Malay Carter

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