Thread by @SahilBloom

How to overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome.

The Character Invention Technique:

We all struggle with some degree of self-doubt and fear of failure.

It's common among ambitious high-achievers, who, by definition, are constantly putting themselves in situations that are on the edge of their current competency level.

Here's how some of the best overcome it:

By the late 2000s, Beyoncé was already a global superstar.

Few were aware that she struggled with nerves and anxiety.

In 2008, to combat these struggles, she created Sasha Fierce, a stage persona that embodied the characteristics she would need to perform in front of millions.

This was a textbook example of Character Invention, a technique in which the user creates a character that can perform in the situations that induce self-doubt.

Similarly, Kobe Bryant created "The Black Mamba" alter ego, a character who would show up in big moments on the court.

You may not have to perform in front of millions on a regular basis, but Character Invention can still be an incredible tool to show up as the best version of you across a variety of situations.

As an example, here are a few situations you may encounter during a typical day:

You wake up in the morning and need to prepare for your day.

You go to the gym before work to get some exercise in.

You go to work and have a few big projects to present.

You get home after work and want to unwind with your family. You want to turn off work mode.

In each situation, there are different versions of you that must "turn on" in order to perform at your best.

For some, it can be very difficult to navigate all of the context switching within the confines of your persona, especially as your energy is getting depleted.

Character Invention in 3 simple steps:

1. Identify situations where you'd like to show up as the best version of yourself.

As big as performing in front of millions or as small as having dinner with your family after a long day.

Any situation where you want new energy.

2. Envision the character to embody in this situation.

• What traits do they possess?
• How do they interact?
• How do they physically appear to others?
• What is their mentality?

The next time you enter that situation, this is the energy you will turn on.

3. Get into character.

Nothing works without practice.

Get yourself some reps by turning on this character in those situations.

See how it feels to show up as your best self in these moments.

Pro Tip:

My coach @Eric_Partaker recommends setting alarms that are the reminder to turn on that character at a specific time of day.

Labeling the alarms is a nice way to give yourself a prompt.

Example: My three daily characters (note: I got to bed *really* early).

I first learned about Character Invention from my close friend @mattschnuck.

He studied under some of the best executive coaches in the world and found it as a common thread in their work.

It quickly became a staple approach that has made a real difference in my life.

If you've ever struggled with self-doubt or imposter syndrome, I'd encourage you to give it a shot.

1. Identify Situations
2. Envision Your Character
3. Get In Character

If you enjoyed this, follow me @SahilBloom for more and RT the original tweet to share it with others.

https://twitter.com/sahilbloom/status/1654103385509953538

Here’s my Morning Monster in action this morning.

I film a video story in the ice bath talking about some concept every single morning to share on social.

This morning was about building layers of discipline so that you have redundancy in your system.

I recently wrote about character invention in my newsletter.

Ideas to help you build a high performing, healthy, wealthy life.

You can join 350,000 others who receive it here: sahilbloom.com/newsletter

Excited to dig into @todd_herman’s work.

He was the coach who helped Kobe build The Black Mamba alter ego.

Just bought his book to learn more!