What causes a person to fake it/why do people fake it if it’s such bad advice? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

There is a broad spectrum of the ways people fake it from the innocent to the outright criminal. Acting as if, dressing for success, visualizing, and power posing are all harmless techniques used to help oneself feel more confident. But faking it when you do or say things at another person’s expense for personal gain involves deceit, and that’s when you cross the line. Common examples of faking it include lying on your resumé or in a job interview, exaggerating the truth to a possible investor or customer about what your product can do, or minimizing the severity of a situation to avoid disclosing errors.

People may be compelled to fake it for a number of reasons, from feeling insecure or inadequate about a certain skill, to being under pressure to succeed or perform, to simply feeling overwhelmed or even afraid. It’s also sometimes easier to fake it and take the short cut when faced with the harsh realities of the truth, like in a crisis or when having to admit a mistake.

The bottom line is, fake it till you make it is the worst business advice ever. The truth is, the truth always comes out and when it does you’ll be exposed for misleading others or distorting the facts, set yourself back and sabotage your success! It’s never the right strategy for long-term success, and it’s much better to take the time to do things the right way, which may also mean doing things the hard way!

This question originally appeared on Quora.

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