--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pretend long enough that you belong, and…" description: "\"Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it.\" - Gallen\" — Mercedes Lackey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png" --- # Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even… ![“Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it." - Gallen” quote by Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png) > “Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it." - Gallen” [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopting a role long enough can reshape self‑identity and belief in that role. **In simple terms:** Acting a role can make you truly believe it. Key Takeaway Live the role to internalize it. Themes identity confidence role‑playing Mood inspired reflective Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - career transition - new hobby - social integration - leadership development Key Concepts self‑concept cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - How does prolonged role‑play affect genuine self‑esteem? - When might this strategy backfire? A Different Perspective Belief may be fragile if underlying competence is lacking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Gallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-gallen-4695904/) [Belong Eventually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belong-eventually-4695903/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Eventually Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventually-believe-1508612/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Belong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-belong-4695905/) [Pretend Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend-long-379685/) ## Related quotes > [Love may take long but it will always take you to were you belong, just hold on and enjoy the journey, no need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-may-take-long-but-it-will-always-take-you-to-were-you-belong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can pretend for a long time, but one day it all falls away and you are alone. We are alone in the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/you-can-pretend-for-a-long-time-but-one-day-it-all-falls-away-and-you/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [You can only pretend for so long before reality hits and you realize he/she is not who you thought or what you truly want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/you-can-only-pretend-for-so-long-before-reality-hits-and-you-realize/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Your mind can't always tell the difference between pretend and reality if you pretend too long; or if you go too deep and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabella-sciorra/your-mind-can-t-always-tell-the-difference-between-pretend-and/) [Annabella Sciorra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabella-sciorra/) > [“Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I think it’s just, how well can you pretend to be someone else, and how long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/honestly-i-don-t-think-people-ever-get-un-screwed-up-i-think-it-s/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [It's possible to pretend I'm someone other than who I am, and if I pretend long enough, I can believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/it-s-possible-to-pretend-i-m-someone-other-than-who-i-am-and-if-i/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [What you hope, you will eventually believe. What you believe you will eventually know. What you know, you will eventually create. What you create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/what-you-hope-you-will-eventually-believe-what-you-believe-you-will/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [What you hear repeatedly you will eventually believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/what-you-hear-repeatedly-you-will-eventually-believe/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [What is magical and mystifying to me about style is not that by seeing we can believe. It is that eventually, we can believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/what-is-magical-and-mystifying-to-me-about-style-is-not-that-by/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [“But even bitterness fades away eventually. We both have to believE that. Don't we?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/but-even-bitterness-fades-away-eventually-we-both-have-to-believe/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [Make a Lie, make it Simple, keep Saying it,and Eventually they will Believe it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-smarty/make-a-lie-make-it-simple-keep-saying-it-and-eventually-they-will/) [Hemant Smarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-smarty/) > [Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/make-the-lie-big-make-it-simple-keep-saying-it-and-eventually-they/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) ## More by Mercedes Lackey > [“He’d parted reluctantly from Amily, thinking again with envy of Lena and Bear. One thing that they hadn’t been forced to deal with during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/he-d-parted-reluctantly-from-amily-thinking-again-with-envy-of-lena/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [If they projected the fact that they are dangerous any harder, there would be little puddles of "danger" on the floor around them. Look,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/if-they-projected-the-fact-that-they-are-dangerous-any-harder-there/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“Then he heard a wild, high-pitched cackling that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. It wasn't sane, that laugh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/then-he-heard-a-wild-high-pitched-cackling-that-made-the-hair-stand/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [Time doesn't. All that Time does is make it more distant, put more space between you and what happened. It doesn't heal anything. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/time-doesn-t-all-that-time-does-is-make-it-more-distant-put-more/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [Fanatics can justify practically any atrocity to themselves. The more untenable their position becomes, the harder they hold to it, and the worse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/fanatics-can-justify-practically-any-atrocity-to-themselves-the-more/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [Other people can have all the children they want. Some people ask for no-smoking sections. I ask for no children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/other-people-can-have-all-the-children-they-want-some-people-ask-for/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [It isn't wise to be rude to one's mother. She knows everything about your childhood that is potentially embarassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/it-isn-t-wise-to-be-rude-to-one-s-mother-she-knows-everything-about/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“Tradition spoke of an elegant half-arch being only a fallen pile of stones without its counterpart to make it whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/tradition-spoke-of-an-elegant-half-arch-being-only-a-fallen-pile-of/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“I'm not out to disturb anybody's faith. I happen to be happy and comfortable with a belief system that has a dual deity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/i-m-not-out-to-disturb-anybody-s-faith-i-happen-to-be-happy-and/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“Thought it has certainly taken you long enough to realize what should have truly been precious to you. Not your own self-importance, nor how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/thought-it-has-certainly-taken-you-long-enough-to-realize-what-should/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“Healer Myrim made no attempt to conceal the fact that Orthallen's treachery had not surprised her. Nor did she conceal that his demise gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/healer-myrim-made-no-attempt-to-conceal-the-fact-that-orthallen-s/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“It is the way in which the Dark returns, Harrier. I will explain, if you like." "Oh, no," Harrier said. "I'd much rather not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/it-is-the-way-in-which-the-dark-returns-harrier-i-will-explain-if-you/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [I think canceling a game that is making a profit, along with destroying jobs and an online community, is entirely unethical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/i-think-canceling-a-game-that-is-making-a-profit-along-with/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [Doctor MacKenzie says "Sometimes I think the Victorians had the right idea. When you lost a family member back then you were suppose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/doctor-mackenzie-says-sometimes-i-think-the-victorians-had-the-right/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“Priests confine broad truths into narrow doctrines, because more rules mean that they have more power. Priests mistake their own prejudice for conscience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/priests-confine-broad-truths-into-narrow-doctrines-because-more-rules/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) [Explore all 165 Mercedes Lackey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it.\" - Gallen", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mercedes Lackey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and-eventually-even-you-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and-eventually-even-you-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/mercedes-lackey-2374_believe_pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and_568210.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it.\" - Gallen” — Mercedes Lackey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mercedes Lackey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pretend long enough that you belong,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and-eventually-even-you-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and-eventually-even-you-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```