You are what you pretend to be

<p> Your outside doesn’t need to match your inside. </p><p> You can feel terrified inside, but just pretend to be brave for one minute. By doing that, you were actually brave. </p><p> You might be a total introvert, but need to attend an event, so you act social for one hour. By pretending to be social, you were. </p><p> You can imitate your role model. Many top performers have an alter ego — a Jekyll to their Hyde or vice-versa — a side of themselves they personify and bring out when needed. It’s not Maria who negotiates. It’s El Tigre. </p><p> I wasn’t usually in the mood to be a good dad. But knowing how important it is, I’d collect my strength and do the right thing for a few minutes or hours — a short burst of being who my boy needed me to be. After years of that, we have an amazing relationship, and he tells everyone he has the best dad ever. </p><p> <strong> You are your actions. </strong> Your actions are you. Your self-image doesn’t matter as much. </p><p> When you realize what you need to <strong>do</strong>, it doesn’t mean that’s who you need to <strong>be</strong>. You can just pretend. </p>