Fake it 'til you make it?! No!

The popular phrase - "fake it 'til you make it" - seems to get thrown around a lot in the real estate industry. I've actually heard this given out as advice to new agents. I get that it's not easy starting out but faking it is probably the worst thing you can do for two very significant reasons.

1. You are messing with your mindset. You are basically telling yourself that you are not worthy of the job so you must pretend. Confidence is a big deal and this just ruins it.
2. You are not being genuine. This is a sure way to hinder you ability to build trust with potential clients thus holding you back from long term success.

So what can you do? Just make it!

First off, be you! You don't need to change around your entire image to attract business. Your personality is your greatest asset! By being the person you naturally are it allows others to get to know you and build trust. You may change your attire from time to time depending on the context of your meetings but you are really doing that to make yourself comfortable rather than to impress others with your keen sense of style.

If you don't have much experience yet, that is certainly something that you can't fake. Don't worry though, you just need to work hard and put in the hustle. If you know the market better than anyone else and are able to show that your process works, you will build trust and confidence among potential clients. Even if you get a few "no's" before you get a "yes," you will be more prepared than anyone to handle the job.

In addition to your own hustle, don't be afraid to leverage the experience of your broker and colleagues. Working with an experienced agent or mentor (one with quality experience) is a great opportunity for you to learn and build your skill set. The people who think they can figure it out and end up faking it as they're trying to make it are the ones that end up in trouble.

There is no need to pad the stats or to pretend that you're someone you're not. Be genuine, consistently put in hard work and don't be afraid to take certain risks that build confidence. Confidence and expertise are your keys to success.

Don't fake it. Just make it!