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Ever felt like a fraud, despite your numerous achievements?
You’re not alone.
This common, nagging doubt is known as imposter syndrome, and it can be a real obstacle, particularly when you’re embarking on new ventures or facing daunting challenges. But what if you could overcome this crippling self-doubt?
Here’s where a technique called “Character Invention” comes into play.
So, what is Character Invention?
This powerful tool, grounded in drama therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), involves creating an alternate persona that embodies the confidence and capabilities you desire, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Intrigued?
Let’s take the example of Beyonce’s stage persona, “Sasha Fierce.”
Sasha is the epitome of fearlessness, audacity, and bravery—traits that Beyonce taps into to give her performances that extra spark, energy and confidence. By simply stepping into Sasha’s shoes, Beyonce can overcome any apprehensions or insecurities that might creep in.
Now, wouldn’t you love to create your own Sasha Fierce?
Here’s how you can:
| Step | Action | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Picture Your Character | Visualize a persona that personifies the traits you admire. | How would they tackle challenges? What are their strengths? |
| 2 | Name your Character | Give your character a catchy name that mirrors their attributes. | “Sasha Fierce”, “Captain Confidence”, “Mister/Miss Mastery” |
| 3 | Find Your Trigger | Pinpoint an action or item that aids you in transitioning into your character. | Donning a unique accessory, striking a specific pose, or listening to a particular song. |
| 4 | Create the Physicality | Contemplate how your character moves and behaves. | Adopting a confident posture, a determined walk, or a specific hand gesture. |
| 5 | Practice | Begin with baby steps. Use your character in regular situations to build confidence. | Ordering coffee, attending a meeting, or making a phone call as your character. |
The benefits of Character Invention aren’t just limited to global superstars.
Be it delivering a presentation, negotiating a deal, or tackling any nerve-wracking situation, your character can be your secret weapon.
Over time, you might even find the lines between you and your character blurring, as you integrate their strengths into your own persona.
So, why not give Character Invention a shot?
Create your character, tap into their strengths, and put an end to imposter syndrome. And when you do, I’m, all ears!
I’d love to hear about your journey and achievements.
Here’s the step-by-step process of “Character Invention” to overcome imposter syndrome in a checklist format:
Character Invention Checklist:
- 1. Envision the Character
- Answer questions to develop the persona.
- Determine how the character behaves when feeling fear, nervousness, or insecurity.
- Let the character have a distinct personality, drawing inspiration from fiction, history, heroes, etc.
- 2. Find the Name
- Choose a name that embodies the character’s values and attributes.
- Ensure it’s a name that resonates with you and the qualities you want the character to exhibit.
- 3. Source the Trigger
- Identify a specific action or moment that prompts you to embody the character.
- This could be a physical action, like putting on a specific item of clothing or accessory.
- 4. Develop the Physicality
- Explore the physical presence of the character.
- Determine specific postures, walks, and body language that the character exhibits.
- Ensure that the physicality is distinct and helps you step into the character’s mindset.
- 5. Practice
- Use the character in everyday, low-stakes situations to become familiar with it.
- The more you practice, the easier it becomes to step into the character when needed.
- Over time, aim to integrate the character’s strengths into your own persona.
Here’s a Google doc version of the checklist.
The goal of this process is to create a character that can help you overcome personal insecurities and challenges, allowing you to perform at your best in various situations.
This post is from the best of Twitter category, where i highlight some interesting content and shine a light on the very best content creators over there, (I’ll post a maximum of 5 Twitter threads for each creator.)
The blog post was inspired by a Twitter thread by Matt Schnuck.
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