Transcript

Kathy Smith:  I notice that in your workshops and in your teachings and in your books that you like these three-word phrases that are sort of the cornerstone of your philosophy – sometimes three, sometimes four-word phrases. Let me give you a few of these phrases that I’ve noticed you use, and tell me what they mean and how the average listener can relate to them. This one, “act as if”. What does that mean?

Baron Baptiste: Act as if is what you want to have happen in your life, action is the way. Good intention without action is a delusion let’s say. When you act as if what you’re going for, what you want to have happen. When you act as though it’s going to happen, it’s amazing how things start showing up to support that thing happening. Maybe you’ve had that experience. There’s some great philosopher who said, “Once one truly commits oneself, then providence moves too,” and all kinds of unseen forces move to support you in fulfilling your commitment. I’m paraphrasing the quote, but it’s something like that. When you act as if, you’re really standing and acting from this thing is going to happen. It’s amazing how things happen when you act as if. They manifest.

Kathy Smith: Yeah. It’s so true. I see that repeatedly in my life and when things aren’t happening, almost the reverse is true. When things aren’t happening, I step back and start to think about, ok, what do I want to happen? How am I acting right now? It’s pretty interesting how–for example, you might say, “I want to be in a relationship. I want love in my life. I want to be in a relationship.”

Then, you watch how you’re acting and you look at it and you go, “Oh, I’m not really acting as if I want a new relationship. I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that. I’m being closed down,” whatever it might be. So, it’s interesting to notice the opposite when things aren’t happening in your life and perhaps how you’re acting.

Baron Baptiste: It’s really great. I love what you said, because in my experience, a great to place to look is in the results you’re getting in your life. So, if you’re not getting the results you want like you said as an example, a relationship. If you’re not getting the results you want, it’s a good place to start because, then, you may want to look at, “I’m saying I want this thing, but am I really acting in ways that are consistent with that thing happening?”

Often, we’ll find there’s a gap there. I usually will find if I’m not getting the results I want, but I say I want those results, there’s some gap there. And maybe I’m deluding myself even. I say I want this, but really, I’m not acting as though or acting as if that’s what I want – not really, when I look more closely.

Kathy Smith: Yeah, I notice that’s also true with a lot of people with weight loss. People say, “I want to lose weight. I need to lose weight. It’s important that I lose weight.” Then, you kind of watch them. I’m not judging them or anything, but then, you watch them and you go, “Really? You’re saying you want to lose weight, but it’s midnight right now and you’re having a hamburger. I don’t know. You’re not acting as if.” So, that’s interesting.