Written by: Paula Connolly, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What is an Alter Ego?
People who are highly successful have drive, self-reliance, will power and self‑confidence. They know what they want, and they go after it. They do the things other people aren’t willing to do – they face challenges head on and perform under pressure. If you have goals that you want to achieve but not the confidence to make it happen, then you need an alter ego – a persona or character that can do the job for you.
Many famous celebrities, athletes and performers have created alter egos to help them overcome self-doubt and self-criticism so they have the courage to perform under stress. It’s well known that early in her career, Beyoncé created Sasha Fierce, who wowed her fans. Adele overcame her performance anxiety with her alter ego, Sasha Carter, a mix of Sasha Fierce and June Carter. And what is a superhero, if not an alter ego. Bruce Wayne’s alter ego is Batman while Clark Kent steps in for Superman.
What is the Power of an Alter Ego?
I’ve seen how successful an alter ego can be. When my young son was playing hockey, seemingly overnight, one boy on his team, who was small and had average skill, began to try slick new moves. He started weaving and darting around the other players with mixed success. He didn’t give up and by the end of the year he was scoring almost every game. We asked him what had changed and he said, “I just do what Sydney Crosby would do.” At eight years of age, he had figured it out. Instead of being scared and holding back, like many of the kids, he acted like his hero – confident, fearless and unstoppable. When he laced up his skates, he “became” Crosby.
As a facilitator and speaker, I have spent my career presenting at seminars and conferences, and more recently virtually. Clients have often asked me how I get over the nerves. I say, “I’m a different person when I present – more outgoing, animated, dramatic and confident.” When I put on my business attire and step in front of the audience, I trigger my alter ego. My concerns about whether I have knowledge or whether the audience will relate to what I say evaporate – because it’s my alter ego who is in charge. I can express a sign of relief, relax and enjoy the experience.
How to Create an Alter Ego
It’s not a new concept, but it’s an intriguing one. What do you wish you could do better? What if you could create your own alter ego and let that “persona” do the hard stuff for you – ask for a raise, have the courage to say no, excel in an interview, present to the executive management team or have a difficult conversation?
Follow these steps to create your own alter ego:
Identify the characteristics you want your alter ego to have – courage, confidence, willingness to take risks, adaptability, resilience, flexibility.
Choose or create an alter ego that embodies these traits based on people, or a combination of people, that you admire – a celebrity, superhero, activist, family member or friend, or a fictional character from a movie or book.
Identify a trigger to “activate” your character – hat or scarf, pair of glasses, business suit, pin, keychain or coin, or a photo. Wear, carry or look at your trigger any time you want to step into your new persona.
Get into your character – talk, act and feel the emotions of your alter ego. Stand tall, speak clearly, maintain eye contact, project confidence and see no limits.
The more you operate from your alter ego, the more confident you will feel. Overtime, you and your alter ego will begin to blend and, eventually, you will truly feel fierce and capable as you confidently take on more of life’s challenges.
Is an alter ego for you? Explore and find out!
Paula Connolly, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Paula Connolly is a Certified Facilitator and Career Coach with Facilitate Discovery who, for the past 25 years, has helped leaders and employees discover their true strengths and adapt a flexible mindset to improve outcomes. She specializes in leadership and human resources classroom and virtual training and coaching. Paula has designed and customized over 40 training programs for diverse audiences. Her clients include the College of Nurses of Ontario, Professional Golfers’ Association, Ontario Public Service, Statistics Canada and Health Canada. Paula’s mission in 2022 is to help people reach higher success through her masterclass Becoming a Dynamic Presenter.
