The phrase “fake it till you make it” is a popular saying originating in the 1970s, meaning to exaggerate reality in order to project a higher version of oneself.
From daily life to social media, there’s often disdain for individuals who exaggerate their current level of success to trick others into believing they’ve achieved more than they actually have.
But the original idea wasn’t about deception.
It was about positioning, elevation, and advancement and it remains one of the most powerful tactics for freelancers trying to land their first clients or break into higher-paying gigs.
In this post, let’s unpack what “fake it till you make it” really means, why it matters for your career, where to draw the line and how to apply it practically in just a few steps.
“Fake It Till You Make It” Origins
The real meaning is believed to have originated before the 1970s as a self-help concept about practicing desired traits until they were attained.
In this early context, faking it didn’t mean lying about who you weren’t.
It meant behaving in alignment with who you wanted to become. Psychologist Alfred Adler even proposed that people could transform their lives by imagining the version of themselves they aspired to be and then acting accordingly.
Fast forward to today’s attention economy, and “fake it till you make it” has taken on a different tone.
Yet despite its risks, the principle of practicing your future self still holds real value especially for creatives.
Why It Matters for Creatives
For designers, writers, and other creatives, this mindset can serve as a confidence hack:
- Speaking the language of clients
- Presenting your work with pride
- Stepping into stretch roles
- Acting like a pro before the world calls you one
These behaviors can attract the very opportunities that help you grow.
But here’s the challenge: the line between confidence and deception is often blurry especially in creative careers where branding, perception, and output constantly intersect.
For example, it’s easy to go too far: like designers claiming they led a rebrand when all they did was resize logos for someone else’s project.
In that case, it’s not “positioning” it’s setting expectations you can’t meet.
So How Do You Really Position Yourself Authentically?
Here are 4 practical steps for positioning yourself with authenticity and intention:
1. Think Like a Client
Your fellow designers won’t hire you so don’t post for them.
Instead, before you share anything, ask yourself:
“If I were hiring a designer, what would I want to see?”
This question reframes your content. You’re no longer posting for likes or claps you’re posting for potential clients.
Ask yourself:
- What do clients want to see?
- What traits build trust with someone they’ve never met?
- What signals professionalism, creativity, and reliability?
Now shape your posts accordingly.
2. Include Values in Every Post
Once you’ve identified the values that matter to clients express them clearly.
For example, don’t just write “Project for a beauty salon”. Instead:
- Explain the goal of the flyer
- Share why you chose certain colors
- Describe your research into the industry
- Highlight common design mistakes in that niche and how you solved them
This transforms your post from a casual upload into a mini case study showing potential clients that you think strategically and deliver real value.
3. Showcase Values Through Trends
Every post is an opportunity to showcase your values.
Example: A designer’s portfolio gets stolen? Don’t just retweet it use it to show your commitment to originality.
Repost work from artists you admire and explain why you connect with it. What values does it reflect that align with yours?
This tells your audience: I’m not just a designer. I’m a designer with principles.
4. Use Testimonials (Even If You’re New)
Social proof works. No client wants to feel like your first experiment.
Don’t have testimonials yet? Offer free work in exchange for honest reviews. Even a short comment like “great communicator” or “delivered ahead of time” builds trust.
5. Elevate, Elevate, Elevate: Use Language Strategically Not Deceptively
Too often, creatives talk about software used or hours spent and forget to mention the value created.
You should always be speaking to impact.
Just as companies rebrand “sales reps” as “Business Development Executives,” elevating your role in a task helps create a deeper sense of value you bring to the team.
Here’s how to elevate without exaggerating:
False: “Creative Director for a beauty conglomerate.”
Correct: “Led visual direction for a digital campaign for a mid-sized beauty brand.”
Four Rules for Strategic Self-Presentation
If you’re navigating the gap between who you are and who you’re becoming, follow these principles:
- Stay close to the truth
Build confidence around adjacent or related experience not fiction. - Own your work only
Never present someone else’s work or results as your own. - Leave room to grow
It’s okay to stretch just be ready to learn fast and deliver. - Talk about impact
Don’t just list tasks. Share the outcomes of your work , what it achieved for the client, the team, or the audience.
It’s Not Faking. It’s Framing.
“Fake it till you make it” has become a cliché but underneath it lies a real and useful truth; you can elevate, enhance every action into a position lever.
You just have to do it right and avoid going out of reality, thereby setting expectations you can’t manage,
If you strip away the hype, it’s about showing up like the version of yourself you’re becoming.
For creatives, that doesn’t mean pretending.
It means positioning.
- Not to deceive but to lead
- Not to inflate but to build trust
- And most importantly: to tell a story about your work that you’re already beginning to live up to
Enjoyed this piece and want some more?
Sign Up to our newsletter
