The power of “as if…”

by Richard Reeve on April 1, 2009

in AziMuth

img01822Go into a high powered meeting where you are going to ask for a million dollar donation.  Experience has taught me you better act “as if” the answer will be yes.  Come face to face with a person in crisis.  Act “as if” things are normal and soon the situation begins to normalize.  Engage any weird image in a dream with these two little words: It was “as if” I was… soon you’ll have an passageway that opens up a viable relationship to meaning hidden in the dream contents.

So what is this psychological maneuver? Simply put, “as if” engenders confidence.    I first started playing with this tool as a child, while standing on the pitchers mound in Little League.  In the beginning the task was simply to throw enough strikes so I wouldn’t walk to many batters.  As I improved, the goal developed into locating pitches inside or our, high or low.  My practice looking into the catcher and before beginning my wind up was to envision the upcoming pitch “as if” it would go where I wanted it to go.

A similar practice soon followed me to the foul line on the basketball court.  And today as a professional who works with struggling teens, I carry it into all my presentation opportunities.

When has taking an “as if” approach helped you influence an outcome?

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  • Hey Henie,
    I love the word journey you took us on in this comment. You nailed it.
  • Hey Allie,
    It's neat to know that others have had success with this technique as well. Sure seemed to work today.
  • "As if" is a way of life. My confidence is born under the "as if" banner...the richness in my soul is sculpted under "as if!"

    But because I am an etymologist I tend to take those two words literally, almost as an antonym to each other in meaning: "as" = the way it is; "if" = the way it could be...so perhaps when it's all said and done, you're covered either way! :~)

    "As if, it is, what could be!" ~Henie~

    <abbr>Henie´s last blog post..Chris Brogan Can Dance! Bryan Elliot Can Sing! #scas</abbr>
  • Every neighborhood meeting I have attended where I must give a presentation, I give it "as if" I have given a million presentations before. Thinking that way has helped me to overcome my inherent shyness to the point that I am no longer afraid of speaking in public anymore. This "as if" thinking has made me more confident and helped me to achieve many goals I wouldnt have thought possible otherwise.

    <abbr>Screwed Up Texan´s last blog post..Internal Examination</abbr>
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