How to Appear to be an Expert: The "Fake It Till You Make It" Principle

A lot of folks have heard that phrase, "fake it till you make it," but what does it mean?  Does it mean to develop some over-inflated ego about your pretend "abilities" and brag about it until those abilities suddenly appear?  Somehow, I doubt it.  But it often seems to be interpreted that way...at least by the very young, or the delusional.  For me, though, this phrase means making a list.  I tend to lack confidence...or at least, I did when I was a singer, big time!  I tended to undervalue any abilities I actually had, and I honestly had no idea of how to even "fake" confidence.  Seemed like such an impossible thing to do.  Now that I've moved into a field of study where I have confidence in my abilities, I think I finally know what that phrase really means.

All fields have certain necessary abilities to succeed, and nearly everyone in those fields has some natural, or easy, ability to do at least one of those abilities.  Not one single person, from a Nobel Prize laureate to a Met. singer ever woke up one particular day and said to his/herself:  I am now an expert!  Sure, they received great awards, like landing that lead role or winning that award or grant, etc., but they got those after a certain level of expertise was attained.  So, if the recognition that you're an expert doesn't suddenly happen overnight, how do experts have that air of "expertise" about them before those awards flow in?  How do they speak with such authority and feel that what they have to say has value?  I suspect that, in the beginning of their studies, most of them "faked" being an expert by realizing exactly what abilities and potential they had and building upon those abilities.  So, basically, they claimed ownership to their place in their field at every point along their education.

So how do you own your abilities?  Well, there are certain abilities that are necessary to succeed in pretty much any field.  Some of them are:

• Being internally motivated to put in the necessary work.  (I.e., learning your languages, completing your homework on time, etc.  I find this tends to come easily when you're passionately dedicated to your field...not just your own potential "greatness" in that field.)
• Biologically capable in the field.  (I.e., having a healthy-functioning vocal system or having at least an average intellect in a rigorous academic field.)
• The ability to problem solve.  (Need to change up some study or practice habits?  Who could you go to to get suggestions on how to do that?)
• The ability to generally apply constructive criticism.  (Think you really only need to work on your legato in that one phrase, or think it could be an issue in all your songs?)

In fact, most of us only have one or two abilities we bring to the table at the beginning of our studies in a new field, but recognizing those couple of things you do well actually gives you more validation throughout your studies/training as you are able to add to that list.  Trust me, it gets longer the more work you put in.
For example:  A beginner opera singer's list could look something like this:

• I have a pretty good vocal range...even if it's not all pretty.  (Biologically capable)
• I like to watch a lot of opera videos on youtube.  (Internal motivation)

As you go along, that list will expand.  It might start to look something like this:

• I can sing clean, accurate coloratura.  (Internal motivation and problem solving.)
• I have very good French and Italian diction.  (Applying criticism.)
• I have an ability to move naturally on stage.  (Biologically capable and applying criticism.)
• I enjoy thoroughly researching the history of my pieces.  (Internal motivation, biologically capable.)
• I have good musical phrasing.  (Applying criticism, problem solving.)
• I have knowledge of the great singers of the past and ability to analyze what made them great.  (From internal motivation and applying concepts/criticism.)

What might still be missing are things like marketing skills, language fluency, solid breath support, etc.  But, if  you have a decent list of what you can do well, it makes focusing on the list of what you still need to work on not seem so tedious and impossible, because you know that one day, one of those things from the "needs work" list will be moved over onto the "can do it well" list.

For a more academic example of a list, I'll use me at the beginning of this semester in calculus I.  I haven't been in a math class in fifteen years before studying and passing into calculus, so needless to say, I was pretty intimidated going into that classroom.  But here's what I brought with me:

• Pretty strong algebraic skills.  (Internal motivation...relearned it to get into the class.)
• Knowledge that I had the intellectual capacity and discipline to do well in the class. (A mix of biological ability, i.e. intellect, and internal motivation.)

That was pretty much it.  Now that I'm approaching the end of the semester with a good grade, I know I have these abilities:

• Very strong at algebra and trigonometry  (Applying criticism and problem-solving.)
• Ability to work through a problem even if I don't know where to begin  (problem-solving)
• Ability to recognize how many steps I'll need to solve a word-problem  (Applying criticism)
• Beginning to learn how to think abstractly about math and how it models movement studied in physics (Applying criticism/concept generally)

How do I know I have those abilities?  Well, did you notice how almost all of my "new" skills came from applying criticism of some sort?  My professor is a very picky grader, so we all got a lot of critical feedback.  Am I an expert?  Oh heck no!  But I am developing skills that I did not have before, and my recognition of that gives me confidence when I go to class...and it helps me to enjoy class, even if I leave a bit confused at times.

You know, when I was going through my master's program in voice, I kept thinking that I was the underdog who would one day achieve success once the right person recognized how great I was.  However, I completely missed the fact that I was the one who would have to show that person, or persons (i.e. casting directors, agents, etc.), what small amount of greatness I did possess, and to do that, I had to know what that was.  Being perceived by others as an underdog is fine and all, but you can't believe you are one or else you'll just be walking around begging for the scraps left over after the stars get their turn.

Now that I've changed fields, though, I feel like I'm coming in with a lot to offer.  I've got plenty of teaching experience, subjective evaluation of the voice, etc.;  I'm also insatiably curious, enthusiastic, and intellectually capable, which together create the perfect "geek" package for an academic field.  So am I an underdog again?  In a sense, yes.  I'm coming in without an undergraduate degree in the field.  I have no interning experience, very little related volunteering experience, and I have science and math deficiencies on my transcripts that undergrad majors don't have.  My resume in this field is, in two words, a bit shoddy.  So maybe I am an underdog...but I do not think that I am, and, therefore, I don't behave like an underdog.  I behave like someone who knows exactly what she brings of value, what she has the potential to be, and what she still needs to learn.  Does it phase me that my list of abilities is shorter than some undergraduates in the field?  Nope.  Because I know I have the abilities necessary to catch up in no time.

So, if you're like me and you have a tendency to underestimate yourself a lot, go ahead and try making a list of the things you do well.  Even if there's only one thing on that list, it's still something!  And heck, if you're just starting out in the field, your list is supposed to be short!  Own it!

P.S.  If you ever find yourself wandering over into "arrogant jerk" or "delusions of grandeur" territory, make a list of what you still need to work on and keep that handy when you need a dose of humility.  Works like a charm.