Lamar Jackson Admits How Not Following the “Fake It Till You Make It” Mantra Has Contributed in His Mental Health

Over the years, Lamar Jackson has been many things — an NFL MVP, a children’s book author, and simply an adorable goofball. What he’s never been, however, is fake [and a Super Bowl champion, sorry]. Staying true to himself has been his mantra from day one, and if Jackson is to be believed, this has helped preserve his mental health.

In an interview with “Essence”, Lamar made it clear that he has never subscribed to the “fake it till you make it” concept. He believes that this mindset forces people to hold themselves accountable to a reality that’s not authentic.

While it can be a great motivational boost at the start, the real issue arises when the individual “makes it,” but still has to live a lie, he explained. This creates a severe mismatch between expectations and reality. The reality we fake and “make it” to is not the same as the reality at the top.

At this point, turning to your true self will be seen as fake by the world. The only option left is to keep pretending. And if the mismatch in expectations grows, it can lead to suffering, and with suffering, comes mental health struggles, Jackson argued.

Lamar thus maintained that he always keeps things “real” and rarely cares about how his words may shape his perception. For the NFL star, speaking the truth that’s true to his core self is paramount, even if it comes at the cost of burning a few bridges.

“It’s been smooth [being real to myself]. Probably outsiders are like, ‘Man, I wonder how he’s feeling but like I said, I’m true to myself. At the end of the day, I’m not necessarily going to bite my tongue. I’m going to speak what’s true to me. People are like ‘Oh fake it till you make it’. But nah, I’m not faking until I make it cuz now when I make it, I got to keep faking it and some people can’t hold themselves to that, so a lot of people harm themselves.”

But what about situations that are thrust upon you, despite being above your pay grade? For example, being a QB comes with the added responsibility of being a locker room general.

From what we know of Lamar so far, the image of him as an inspirational leader giving motivational speeches isn’t the first that comes to mind. When asked how Lamar stays focused while managing this crucial responsibility, the reigning NFL MVP thanked his teammates for their support.

Jackson shared that his teammates have created a safe environment for him that allows him to be himself and not create a mirage. However, the QB did reveal that he adjusts for his teammates when they ask him to join them for clubbing or other social activities. Beyond that, Lamar’s mantra remains the same — utmost authenticity.

More often than not, the biggest problems have the simplest solutions. As generic as Lamar’s advice may sound, it’s important to realize that accepting ourselves for who we are alleviates half of our problems. The mismatch between perception and reality causes suffering. So, as Lamar said, be true to yourself!