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Kobe Bryant had the Black Mamba, Beyonce has Sasha Fierce, and Eminem has Slim Shady.
As silly as it may seem, there is real power in adopting an alter ego to unlock your inhibitions and give you the freedom to embrace who you want to be.
I learned this during a one-on-one video call with Todd Herman, an incredible coach with an unbelievable history of coaching elite humans including Christiano Renaldo, Kobe Bryant, and Rafael Nadal.
Todd Herman authored a book called The Alter Ego Effect which explores how people can use the concept of an alter ego to achieve greater success in their personal and professional lives. Here are the top five things I learned from reading his book and speaking to Todd directly.
Related: Book your own one-on-one session with elite performance coach Todd Herman
1. Creating an alter ego is a powerful tool for achieving your goals
An alter ego is a persona that you create for yourself to help you overcome self-doubt, fear, and other obstacles that may be holding you back. By adopting this persona, you can tap into a more confident, capable version of yourself.
2. Many successful people have used alter egos
Herman cites examples of athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs who have used alter egos to help them achieve success. Beyoncé created her alter ego Sasha Fierce to help her overcome stage fright and become a more confident performer.
3. Alter egos can be used in different areas of your life
Herman suggests that you can create different alter egos for different areas of your life, such as work, relationships, and fitness. Each alter ego should be tailored to the specific challenges you face in that area.
Related: Here’s How to Unlock the Power of Critical Thinking
4. You can create an alter ego by using different tools and techniques
There are a range of tools and techniques for creating an alter ego, such as visualization, affirmations, and physical props. Todd also emphasizes the importance of practice and repetition to reinforce the persona.
5. The alter ego effect is backed by science
Herman draws on research from psychology, neuroscience, and sociology to support his ideas. For example, he cites studies that show how adopting a different persona can help people overcome anxiety and perform better in high-pressure situations.
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Want to go deeper? Todd Herman is accessible to you for a 1:1 video call. Book time with him now!
