You may have heard this phrase at one point in your life, “fake it until you make it”, and at one point I had problems with the idea – until now. It seems that there is scientific evidence which supports the idea that you become who you aspire to be by dressing or acting the part. There have been other studies that support the idea that you can even change the way people think about you simply by changing the way you dress and standing up straight.

To that end, I want to share a short TED talk by Amy Cuddy where she discusses the benefits of “faking it ‘till you make it”.

http://blog.ted.com/10-examples-of-how-power-posing-can-work-to-boost-your-confidence/

https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are

I was taught very early in my professional career to dress and behave for the job you want, not the job you have.  I’d like to encourage our readers to watch Amy Cuddy’s presentation and offer their thoughts in the comment boxes.

I’ll close with some tips from various authors that I’ve found effective in my life. You can’t overstate the power of a firm handshake, looking someone in the eye, calling them by their name, and focusing your attention on them while you are with them. It’s like magic.