Confidence is one of the most valued traits in the workplace. Employees who project self-assurance are more likely to be promoted, trusted with leadership roles, and seen as capable, even when their skills are no better than their peers. This has fueled the rise of “fake it till you make it” advice. The idea is simple: Act confident, even if you aren’t, and eventually, you’ll become confident for real.

在职场中，自信是最受重视的特质之一。那些表现出自信的员工更可能获得升职、被赋予领导职责，并被认为有能力，即使他们的技能和同事相比没有更出色。这种现象推动了“假装自信直到真正自信”这一建议的流行。这个理念很简单：即便你不自信，也要表现出自信，最终你就会真正变得自信。

It sounds appealing, but there’s a flaw in this approach. Faking confidence may work in short bursts, but if there’s no real competence behind it, cracks start to show. When confidence isn’t built on substance, it can backfire, leading to credibility damage, poor decision-making, and even career stagnation. Instead of pretending, professionals should focus on developing confidence the right way: through preparation, skill-building, and strategic self-presentation.

这听起来很吸引人，但这种方法存在一个缺陷。短时间假装自信可能有效，但如果没有真正的能力支撑，问题很快就会暴露出来。没有实质基础的自信可能适得其反，导致信誉受损、决策失误，甚至事业停滞不前。专业人士应该通过正确的方法建立自信：通过准备、培养技能以及策略性地展示自己，而不是假装。