Over the last couple of years I’ve learned a lot about identity work and how to hack your way to the next level (’cause who has time to up-level slowly?! HA). And the easiest, fastest and simplest hack I’ve come across is this:
Pretend you’re already there and then act like it.
So simple. You just imagine you’re already there–wherever “there” is for you–and then you take action as that person right now.
For example, if your “there” is being a bestselling author, you would pretend that you already are and then you’d act from that place by doing things like you would if you were there. So you might hire an assistant to help you with book-marketing tasks or maybe you’d start tracking your book sales numbers every day or doing the daily mindset practice you know you’d have as that bestselling author. Maybe you’d do all of the above, and more.
The point is, if you can imagine yourself there, having already achieved the end result, you can act your way into receiving the things you desire.
When I decided I was gonna become a bestselling author, I immediately began acting like I already was. I decided to write and publish more books, because I knew that’s the author I’d be. I decided to up the accountability in my life and business, because I knew bestselling-author me would have more support. I decided to purchase Bestseller Ranking Pro software to get the inside information I needed to learn more about hitting #1 on Amazon and what it actually took in sales numbers, because I knew that was information bestselling-author me would definitely have. I created and launched a mastermind group called the Bestselling Author Mastermind because I knew bestselling-author me would not only have a group like that, but would be sharing the behind-the-scenes of the journey getting there.
The actions were clear and they were easy to take, because I was just acting my way into being the bestselling author I had already decided I was.
So it came as no surprise (OK–it was still a surprise!) that one of my books hit #1 in my category on Amazon within four months of me making the decision that I was already there and then acting from that place every day.
It’s what I’m now doing with my Hollywood Screenwriter dream. I’ve decided I’m already there, and now I take action every day as if I am.
I’m currently writing my second screenplay of the year, because Hollywood Screenwriter me would always be writing (or developing) a new script. I’m learning more about and practicing the art of filmmaking and telling stories in a condensed amount of time, because these are skills Hollywood-Screenwriter me would have. I’ve become a member of Stage 32 and have subscribed to their monthly Writers Room membership, because it gives me inside access to pitch and get feedback and learn from Hollywood and industry pros and because Hollywood Screenwriter me would definitely have those kinds of connections and access. When I look out my balcony doors at the hills of Austin I pretend that I’m looking at the Hollywood sign from the balcony of my badass condo in L.A. and every morning when I see it I say, “Good morning Hollywood.”
As more actions reveal themselves to me, I’ll begin to incorporate them into my life.
By acting like a Hollywood Screenwriter in whatever ways I can right now, I’m up-leveling my identity, how I think about myself and taking more aligned actions on the path toward that dream. To me, that’s what it means to live your dream life.
It means doing more of the things every single day that you know you’d be doing when you’re living your dream life. Maybe you can’t do everything today, but there are always things you can do from where you are with what you’ve got.
And then you just grow from there.
