Both phrases may describe using behavior to help create change, but they emphasize different endpoints.
“Fake it till you make it”
Meaning: Act as if you already have the confidence, competence, or success you want even before you genuinely feel or possess it.
- Focus: achieving an external outcome
- Example: “I’m nervous about public speaking, but I’ll practice confident posture and speak clearly until I become comfortable.”
- Risk: If taken literally, it may encourage pretending, masking, or deception.
“Fake it till you become it”
Possibly, popularized by social psychologist Amy Cuddy, this version shifts the emphasis from getting something to developing an internal identity or capacity.
- Focus: personal transformation
- Example: “I don’t feel confident yet, but I will repeatedly practice confident behaviors until confidence becomes more natural.”
- The goal may not be to deceive others; it’s to practice the behaviors associated with the person you are becoming.
The important distinction
A psychologically healthier formulation might be:
“Practice it until you become it.”
That removes the word fake entirely. You may not be pretending to be confident you are rehearsing confident behaviors while honestly acknowledging that you’re still learning.
For example:
Fearful… “I’ll pretend I’m fearless.”vs.Fearful…“I’m afraid, but I’ll practice acting courageously.”
The second approach combines authenticity, behavioral practice, self-efficacy, and gradual identity change.
Shervan K Shahhian
