Occasionally I give a workshop called "Smart Yet Stuck" for adults still not sure what they want to be when they grow up. One participant who wants to get involved in politics said, "I met a major Democrat operative who asked me to E-mail him a proposal, but I'm too scared to follow through." I asked him to stop thinking and act as if: "Pretend you're the most confident self you've ever been, and do what that self would do." I added, "If you feel fear building up, say, 'Stop!' aloud, and go back to acting as if you were that best self." I'm not sure he meant it, but he did say he was optimistic that this simple technique would be enough to get him to send that proposal.

When I'm relaxed, people are always complimenting me on the quality of my voice. So, especially when I'm in a pressure situation, I remind myself to–you guessed it–act as if I were my relaxed self. That works ... sometimes.

Acting as if ... can often be a shortcut to improving yourself.