When former Senator John McCain was held in a Viet Nam prison camp he said that some days he had to act brave to be brave.
Sometimes, it is not our view that produces our behavior. Rather, it is our behavior that creates the view we have of ourselves. When we act assertively, we become more assertive. When we engage collaboratively, we think of ourselves as more collaborative.
This idea is especially important when we try to create new habits. Engaging in a behavior, even one we don’t yet believe in, produces more value for performing the behavior in the future.
According to a popular academic idea called “self-perception theory” people most often determine their beliefs by interpreting the meaning of their own behavior. When we act on purpose, such as trying a new exercise routine, unless we have a negative reaction, we explain our actions internally by presuming we must like it. The next time we exercise, we now believe the new routine is something worth doing.
This counterintuitive idea can be summarized in this way: Action produces more commitment to the same action. Here’s a concrete example. If you want to feel excited as opposed to nervous in a big moment, you would benefit from acting excited.
The choices to behave in an excited way might include energetic body language, positive self-talk, and exaggerated facial expressions. When you act excited, you will likely become excited. Behavior can exert a powerful influence on what we believe and do.
The next time you need to create a new habit or show up in a different light, consider behaving in exactly that way. As the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar used to say, “Don’t wait until you feel like taking a positive action. Take the action and then you will feel like doing it.”
