‘Delulu is the solulu’: Can faking it till you make it really work in your career?

Whenever 26-year-old Karan Cheema finds himself face to face with a street dog, he fakes not being scared. As long as he’s convinced himself and his opponent (the neighbourhood cutie of a dog) that he’s not scared, all will be well. This is also a principle that applies to the corporate world, the marketing professional has found.

Citing the example of Elon Musk and the near-bankruptcy of Tesla before SpaceX was launched, Cheema said, “We are not only faking it for the world, but we’re also faking it for ourselves so that our biggest enemy and ally — our brain — won’t pick flight in a fight vs flight situation.”

M K Matthur, 55, founder & CEO at WebHostingPeople, agreed with Cheema, saying that in his 30-year career as an IT professional, embracing a confident approach — even amid uncertainties — has been a powerful strategy for him. “It’s about projecting assurance in the face of challenges and pursuing new ventures, fostering growth and resilience.”

Where does ‘fake it till you make it’ come from?

Fake it till you make it: The aphorism suggests that by imitating confidence, competence, and an optimistic mindset, a person can realise those qualities in real life and achieve the desired results.

While the exact origin of the phrase remains elusive, some say it first appeared in 1968 in a Simon & Garfunkel song “Fakin’ It”, while others attribute its emergence to the American philosopher and “the father of American psychology” William James, who said, “If you want a quality, act as if you already have it.”

William James is considered “the father of American psychology”. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

But one of the first humans to cotton on to this little quirk might have been ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu who, in his book The Art of War, talks about “appearing weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak”.

This adage even finds mention in the wildly popular book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. “How do you get yourself to a point of believing? Start make-believing. Be like a child, and make-believe. Act as if you have it already. As you make-believe, you will begin to believe you have received.”

How have people been applying — or not applying — it to their careers?

After discovering the fake it till you make it philosophy, 20-year-old PR professional Bhumika Rawal realised that she had been naturally applying it in her life. “It’s interesting how a concept I hadn’t formally known existed perfectly describes my approach to tackling challenges and uncertainties,” she said.

Adding that she adopts this approach by projecting seriousness in instances where it may be necessary, Rawal said, “There are situations where I simulate a composed exterior while grappling with tasks. This not only aids in maintaining a diligent appearance but also provides the space to research and find effective solutions.”

But Sucheta Halder, a 22-year-old communications student, thinks otherwise. “You may delude yourself into believing that you can do it but after a certain point, I believe, it drains you or, rather, it starts draining you (while maintaining that facade). “Delulu is the solulu” has worked for me but it has also cost me a lot of breakdowns.”

Dr Shaunak Ajinkya, consultant psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai, agreed with Halder’s statement, explaining that pretending to be someone you are not puts a strain on your self-identity by creating a disconnect between your true self and the persona you are trying to project, leading to subconscious conflicts.

“Maintaining a facade requires continuous effort and energy. The fear of being discovered or failing to live up to the image created becomes exhausting over time. The “fake it till you make it” approach creates a fear of failure, and any setback is seen as a threat to the fabricated image. If you’re always projecting an image of success, you find it difficult to admit that you need help, and this reluctance to seek assistance causes isolation,” he explained in an interaction with indianexpress.com.

Harpreet Kapoor, CEO of Kognoz Research and Consulting, also warned against embracing the philosophy as it is a double-edged sword. “While projecting confidence and competence can open doors, sustained success requires genuine skills.”

Can it turn out bad?

The zeitgeist is full of people who seem to have taken this maxim to heart, most notorious of them (in recent years) being the Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes or the famous con artist Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey.

When holes in knowledge or capacity become evident, relying entirely on a mask of confidence can result in reputational harm and a loss of trust. (A still from Inventing Anna on Netflix)

According to Dr Ajinkya, the belief that maintaining a facade is of utmost importance leads to a false sense of superiority and a tendency to condemn others for not meeting one’s perceived standards.

“If you consistently project an image of perfection and success that is far removed from your true self, it distorts self-image. Over time, you begin to believe your own facade, creating a delusional opinion of your abilities and achievements. This could lead to delusions of grandeur,” he told indianexpress.com.

Constantly faking it can also lead to an aversion to taking responsibility for shortcomings and acknowledging mistakes. Instead of addressing these, there could be a tendency to blame others for one’s perceived failures, creating a delusional narrative which prevents you from facing reality, explained Dr Ajinkya.

How do you really apply it — if you do?

All of the people we talked to in the story strongly suggest keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground if you are a subscriber to this philosophy.

According to Kapoor, there are inherent hazards to the “fake it till you make it” attitude. “When holes in knowledge or capacity become evident, relying entirely on a mask of confidence can result in reputational harm and a loss of trust.”

Bhumika Rawal learned caution was necessary the hard way when her lack of preparation led to an embarrassing moment. “This oversight made me realise that faking it without adequate knowledge can backfire. It served as a reminder to balance confidence with thorough groundwork, ensuring a more successful and informed approach in my professional endeavours.”

Dr Ajinkya also cautioned against imposter syndrome. “The fear that others might discover that you aren’t as accomplished as you appear to be, or you don’t have all the answers, can intensify the feelings of being an imposter.”

Knowing when to stop “faking” is an essential component of implementing this attitude, suggested Kapoor. “The line should be set when the facade begins to impede rather than facilitate personal or professional development. Accepting obstacles and accepting one’s limits are critical for progress. It is critical to understand that presenting confidence is a tactic, not a permanent condition.”

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