The "Act As If" Technique
The “act as if” skill has received a lot of attention recently, mostly from the new age movement, claiming that the skill can be a way to influence “the law of attraction.” Whether or not this is true remains to be proven. However, “act as if” does have some research support as a cognitive-behavioral intervention.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has long been a cornerstone of modern psychology and psychotherapy, offering individuals practical tools to understand and improve their mental well-being. Within the vast landscape of CBT, one particular technique known as "Act As If" has emerged as a powerful and transformative intervention. "Act As If" is a behavioral strategy that encourages individuals to consciously adopt the mindset and behaviors of the person they aspire to become, even when faced with self-doubt or challenging circumstances. Whether you're seeking to enhance your self-esteem, overcome obstacles, or simply better understand the inner workings of your mind, the "Act As If" approach can be a valuable addition to your mental health toolkit.
Why Act As If Works
At its core, the "Act As If" technique is a cognitive-behavioral strategy designed to encourage individuals to adopt the mindset and behaviors of the person they aspire to be. It is rooted in several core principles that guide its implementation. "Act As If" requires individuals to consciously act as though they have already achieved their goals, even when they may doubt their abilities or face daunting challenges. This helps build self-confidence and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the mind and body work in tandem to manifest positive change.
The theoretical underpinnings of "Act As If" are deeply intertwined with self-perception theory. This psychological framework posits that people infer their own attitudes, emotions, and abilities by observing their own behaviors. In the context of "Act As If," this means that by consistently engaging in the behaviors associated with their goals, individuals can alter their self-perception, ultimately reinforcing their self-belief.
Central to this technique is the role of role-playing. By immersing oneself in the character of the person they want to become, individuals can better understand and internalize the attitudes and behaviors required for success. Role-playing provides a practical and hands-on approach to "Act As If," allowing individuals to experiment with different mindsets and behaviors and assess their impact on their self-perception and real-life outcomes. Through the understanding of these core principles, the "Act As If" technique becomes a powerful tool for self-improvement and personal growth.
We often engage in "self-sabotage," acting ineffectively despite knowing better ways of handling difficult situations. There are many reasons for this, and one of the most influential is our dysfunctional, automatic thoughts. Thoughts like "I won't succeed no matter how hard I try" or "I can't do this" can hinder our actual abilities to do something well. One example of this is starting an exercise regimen and thinking "I'm too out of shape to go work out seriously. I'd just be embarrassed." If you let these thoughts influence your behavior, you might find yourself avoiding exercises and machines you find intimidating because of thinking they're not for someone like you. You might also give up more easily, believing it's a lost cause. Acting as if can help alter these dysfunctional thoughts. Instead of engaging with these thoughts, acting as if might have you engaged in all of the activities someone who believed they could succeed would engage in: For instance, making an appointment with a personal trainer, which would result in more accountability, a better ability to perform exercises correctly, and a more rewarding experience overall. If you were out of shape before, acting as if can help you get in shape sooner.
What’s nice about this technique is that we can use it even if we are 100% sold on our dysfunctional automatic thoughts. We don't have to wait until our thoughts change to step into the role we'd prefer. We instead step into the role, which can result in our thoughts changing more quickly and more permanently. Better yet, we don't have to wait for "the law of attraction" to kick in before we get what we want.
Steps for Acting As If
Step 1: Identify the automatic thought or dysfunctional belief that is getting in your way. For instance, in giving a presentation to a large audience, you might have the thought, "I don't know what I'm talking about." This increases our anxiety, decreases our ability to give a good presentation, and might even hinder us from adequately preparing. Because if I know I will fail no matter what, why put a lot of effort into it?
Step 2: Identify all of the things you would do if you believed the exact opposite of that thought. From making eye contact to smiling, to preparing well, to eliciting questions from the audience, list what you would see from someone who, using the example above, believed they knew exactly what he/she was talking about.
Step 3: Rehearse those behaviors: Act as if You can role-play with a friend, your dog, or even the mirror. The point is to be familiar enough with the behaviors that you can use them without thinking about them too much.
Step 4: Act as if some more. Rehearse the behaviors some more.
Step 5: Engage in the behaviors you rehearsed. Each time a dysfunctional thought comes to mind, smile at it, and continue as planned.
By following this protocol, you may, at the very least, come across more confidently. However, most people find that using this regularly, they start to disbelieve the self-defeating thoughts. Having several experiences of success is a great way to undo the assumption that you will always fail. And after a while, there's no "acting" necessary.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles is a therapy practice of expert psychologists with the highest level of training and experience in providing evidence-based treatment. Click the button below to ask a question or schedule a consultation to determine whether CBT is right for you.