Too many times, folks misunderstand the suggestion that they should, "Fake it, 'til you make it!" It's a good idea, when used correctly. It's a really bad idea if you misrepresent what you can do, in real life. Capable and flexible people will be able to tackle jobs they've never done before because they have problem solving skills and life experience. Dumb-asses claim skills and experience they don't have and boast about their (non-existent) abilities.

If you are a dumb-ass, take heart! You can learn, if you're willing to work. If you decide to lie and hide the truth, forget it. You'll be found out and publicly humiliated by other Internet Marketers. This business can be a blood sport. Don't go poking sticks at lions if you're a housecat. Trying to perpetrate a fraud is dangerous, unlawful and stupid.

The real meaning of "faking it" is how you use your own self-talk, in this case. How you frame your beliefs about yourself, and how you express them, will determine how fast and how far you will rise above your current state. That's different than claiming something that is patently not true. If you're not making $10,000 per month, saying you do is a bad idea. However, saying you've set a goal to do so, and backing it up with a good plan, massive action and persistence is a great idea!

If you're an active part of a community of IM professionals, your history is an open book. Avoid making the mistake of promoting yourself beyond your actual accomplishments. If you're begging for basic help in January and offering to "mentor" people in February, the only persons you will fool are:

- Clueless newbies

- Yourself

This brings us to the subject of scammers and crooks. They don't prosper for long. There are plenty of examples of folks who built pretty good reputations, then revealed their bent intentions by ripping people off. That "good reputation" was destroyed, probably forever, just because they wanted a quick payday and didn't care about the consequences. In some cases, the law intervened and put them in a place where there's no Internet access, and their new roommate is a 6'4" carjacker named Killer.

Your reputation is like fine china: hard to make, easy to break and nearly impossible to repair successfully. Keep this in mind if you're tempted to brag about non-existent JV deals, fabulous income levels or grandiose plans for driving traffic to a marketer's offer for a small "fee". Stealing is stealing - there's no excuse for taking what you did not earn.

As for the newbie marketer who tries to act like a major player coming out from the shadows: nobody falls for that for long! A simple mistake or error in your description of how you do business will reveal your ignorance and somebody better than you will gladly call your bluff. Save yourself the sting of public embarrassment. Don't try to be something you're not.

Here's the best way to fake it: don't be tough, don't be humble, just be matter of fact. Even if you're totally confused and your head aches from information overload, present yourself as calm, composed and confident. The fact is, real confidence comes from performance power, which you won't have yet. Acting with confidence and assurance, because you really do have the ability to learn, solve problems and work persistently without supervision, is the ticket to successfully "faking it".

Nobody was born successful. Everybody makes mistakes. Real pros don't brag. Keep this in mind, the next time you're tempted to treat people like they were born yesterday.