#12 - Will the real slim shady please stand up?
Reinvent Yourself: How Character Invention Can Transform Your Life
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published"The only limits you have are the limits you believe." - Wayne Dyer
The more you learn, you realize how less you know. In other words, imposter syndrome is real for many. Lots of people suffer from imposter syndrome who otherwise are extremely smart and confident. It can happen for many reasons but one underlying reason I have figured is their own Self-concept.
Self-concept is a concept in psychology which is defined as the image we hold of ourselves. It is influenced by many forces, including our interaction with important people in our lives. It is how we perceive our behaviors, abilities, and unique characteristics. For example, beliefs such as "I am a good friend" or "I am good at math" are part of overall self-concept. Self-concept is malleable but as people go through life and have experiences, their beliefs become more engrained and self-concept becomes hard to change. And this essentially defines who they are and their reality.
Let's use an example of a guy named Alex - who is a really smart guy, accomplished, professional, but very nervous public speaker. He frequently declares “I'm not good at public speaking. I get nervous and I just don't enjoy it.” So he doesn’t like it. Even when he has to present his work, he hates it. Now this whole public speaking thing either started as a belief due to something that Alex went through in the childhood or some other event later in life. But now it's just ingrained in his brain. So even when he tries to actually learn or improve this skill, his self-concept stops him from fully adopting it. Moreso, even when he overcomes his fears and gives a good presentations, he thinks it was a fluke.
One technique to overcome such limitations we have imposed on ourselves through our self-concept is Character Invention.
Now stay with me here, I know this sounds a little crazy and it probably is. But if you invent a new character, who is like you, but has a different name and also different skill set and you can assign whatever different skill set to it that you want. Let's say Alex creates an alter-ego called Joe - Joe is a really good public speaker. He's a natural extrovert who loves to talk, who loves meeting people. He enjoys that process. He thrives on extroversion energy. Next, Alex needs to assign some triggers to when this character/different mode of his personality kicks in. Let’s assign a trigger to this that when Alex has to present on Zoom or jump on a stage to present something, this character comes into being. Now, Alex can utilize this character to overcome the self-belief of “not a good public speaker”
Character invention draws from narrative psychology and role-playing concepts. Narrative psychology posits that humans comprehend and structure their lives via storytelling. By inventing a character, we are essentially crafting a new story for ourselves. This process allows us to explore different facets of our personality and potential, by stepping into a role that might be different from our usual self. So pulling it back, Invent a new character who can do things that you think you cannot do. Many famous and successful people have used this technique to get a lot done.
Examples of Character Invention in Pop Culture
- David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust: David Bowie created the alter ego Ziggy Stardust, a flamboyant and androgynous space alien. This character not only revolutionized Bowie's music and performance style but also allowed him to explore and express parts of his identity in a way that wasn't possible in his off-stage life.
- Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce: Beyoncé famously spoke of her on-stage alter ego, Sasha Fierce, as a way to separate her more assertive stage presence from her off-stage personality. Sasha Fierce embodied traits of confidence and assertiveness, allowing Beyoncé to perform with a boldness that she may not have naturally felt.
- Eminem and Slim Shady: Eminem created the alter ego Slim Shady as a way to express his anger and frustration. Through Slim Shady, Eminem was able to channel his emotions into his music, creating a distinct persona that was separate from his personal identity.
- To summarize, here’s how you can use this:
- Define Your Character: Start by outlining a character that embodies the qualities you aspire to. This character should be detailed - add backstories, expected responses in situations, general attitude, etc. The more details you add, better it would work.
- Visualize and Role-Play: Regularly imagine how your character would handle situations you face. This mental rehearsal prepares your brain to emulate these behaviors in real life.
- Selective Implementation: Get into character for certain situations so you can introduce new responses to situations.
- Reflect and Adjust: Definitely take time to reflect and review if the character is working productively for you or not. Make changes as needed.
- Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." - William Shakespeare
- I love you all, keep going!
- Aakash
- @aakashpathak
Originally published on substack.