Fake It ’Til You Make It?!?!? NOT SO!!!

by Darren Hood

The phrase “fake it ’til you make it” is extremely popular in many circles today. It has also found its way into the world of user experience (UX). A deep dive into this activity reveals that it’s most popular among entry- and junior-level UXers. Is this viable? Is it profitable? Is it ETHICAL? The answer is a resounding NO on all counts. Let’s take a quick look at the “fake it ’til you make it” (FITYMI) mentality, its impact, and what should be done instead.

The FITYMI Landscape

First, according to Wikipedia, FITYMI “is an English aphorism which suggests that by imitating confidence, competence, and an optimistic mindset, a person can realize those qualities in their real life.” According to Forbes and other resources, the FITYMI mentality is associated to what’s called The Law of Attraction, which states that whatever we think about from a positive or negative perspective will actually come to fruition. An article at Mental Floss even states that “faking it” has been scientifically proven to be successful.

As stated, many in the world of UX have embraced FITYMI, writing or sharing such thoughts in their addresses to professionals. Some even go as far as saying “we are all fakers,” creating the scenario (a mirage, actually) that NOBODY is legit, that we’re all “faking it,” and that we’re making things up as we go.

FITYMI Reality Check

Let’s think about the word “fake.” According to Merriam-Webster, it means “not true, real, or genuine : counterfeit, sham.” For those embracing or endorsing FITYMI, do you REALLY want to be associated with something that’s counterfeit or a sham? Do you realize the potentially detrimental impact this can have on your personal brand and reputation? On your UX practice? On your team? On your company?

Consider the following queries:

• Are we all fakers?
  Absolutely not!!! And, I call interaction with those who claim to be fakers into question. How much value can be placed on such interactions and relationships?
• Are we (UXers) making it up as we go?
  Absolutely not!!! Those who truly possess UX acumen apply our skill and knowledge to bring value. A skilled person has ZERO reason to fake something.
• Is anyone legit?
  Yes!!! In an age where many entering or currently holding a seat in the UX professional world as the result of falsifying credentials and job history and lying on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, some of us are truly educated, trained, skilled, and experienced.

FITYMI Alternative

Experts have long said that it takes more energy to live a lie than to just tell and represent the truth. On top of the fact that it’s just not ethical to be a faker, IT’S ACTUALLY EASIER TO BE THE REAL DEAL!!! Therefore, instead of faking it, I have a much better idea. Take that energy and focus on building skill, knowledge, competency, and acumen. Become qualified. Launch out into the pathways of expertise and mastery.

When one commits to following a genuine path, the benefits are endless AND far more satisfying. After all, once fakers finish their routines, equivalent to a metaphorical song-and-dance, they get drowned with anxiety instead of celebrating legitimate success. Many of them also spend a great deal of time laboring to harm the reputations of those who do and would expose them.

Be the real deal today. You’ll be better off for it. And the discipline will thank you.

Conclusion

Would you be happy to learn that your doctor was faking it until he or she made it? How about your dentist? Your pharmacist? Accountant or tax specialist? Auto mechanic? Plumber? The list goes on and on and on. Truth is, NOBODY appreciates a faker. AND it’s unethical to be a faker. A faker is a walking lie!!!

It should also be noted that many who subscribe to the FITYMI mindset also suffer from inferiority complexes AND are extremely resentful towards those who have “made it” (i.e., those who know who they are and are qualified in the discipline) to the extent they launch campaigns to make them look like they’re faking it. This makes the world of UX that much more combative and toxic. It also creates scenarios where competent people are made to look like they are incompetent AND confuses people in leadership. In the long run, the team or teams where this happens takes a hit and so does the discipline-at-large, especially when leaders across organizations share experience with their UX teams. This dynamic helps to illustrate how dangerous FITYMI is to the entire world of UX.

Instead of faking in until you make it (which is basically a gross act of selfishness), use your energy to become the real deal. You’ll be better off for it and so will your team, your projects, your users, the business, and the discipline of UX as a whole.

Exercise the courage (and effort) today…. to be GENUINE and THE REAL DEAL!

About Darren

Darren Hood is a 28+ year UX practitioner with a broad professional footprint that spans several types of B2B and B2C operations. In addition to having served as a UX manager, individual contributor, and freelancer in the business world, Darren serves or has served as an adjunct professor for such institutions as Michigan State University, UCLA, Brandeis University, Lawrence Tech University, Kent State University, and Harrisburg University. He is also one of the authors featured in “97 Things Every UX Practitioner Should Know.” He also regularly speaks at conferences and mentors people around the world.

You can hear more from the Darren by checking out the KaizenUX Medium page, the KaizenUX YouTube channel, or listening to The World of UX with Darren Hood wherever podcasts are available.

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