Faking Confidence Until You Make It
Hear me out: you have no idea what you're doing half the time, and that’s okay. You're one wrong move away from setting off a ventilator alarm you don't know how to silence. Your hands shake every time you draw an ABG. And somehow you're supposed to look like you belong there? Sounds accurate? Mmhmm.
Welcome to healthcare, where "fake it till you make it" is basically survival strategy 101.
The Confidence Paradox
Here's the thing nobody tells you: EVERYONE is faking it to some degree. That confident new grad? They're winging it sometimes too. Your instructor? They've had moments of doubt. Even doctors occasionally Google stuff in the hallway (call me a liar and I will call you out lol). The difference isn't that they know everything—it's that they've learned to ACT confident while figuring it out.
Body Language Hacks
Stand up straight. Slouching screams "I don't belong here." Shoulders back, chin up. Even if you're terrified, your body language shouldn't show it. Make eye contact. Not in a creepy staring contest way, but enough to show you're engaged and present. Speak clearly. Mumbling or using uptalk (ending sentences like they're questions?) makes you sound uncertain.State things directly, even if you're not 100% sure. Slow down. Anxious people talk fast. Confident people don't rush.
Verbal Confidence
Replace "I think" with "Based on what I'm seeing..."
Instead of "Maybe we could try?" say "I'd recommend..."
Swap "Sorry, I don't know" for "That's a great question—let me find out."
It's not about lying. It's about presenting information professionally.
The Permission Slip
Here's your permission slip: You're ALLOWED to not know everything. You're a human. Being confident doesn't mean being perfect— it means being willing to learn, ask questions, and try again. The confidence you're building now is like a muscle. Every shift, every patient interaction, every time you survive something that scared you— you're getting stronger. One day you'll realize you're not faking anymore. You'll walk into a room and genuinely know what you're doing. Until then? Fake it with everything you've got bby!
Your future self is actually proud of you.