The Alter Ego Effect

An Alter Ego can make you more resilient and unlock your Hero Self. 

As a young football player, Bo Jackson had a lot of anger issues, and that hurt his game. He created an Alter Ego, “Jason,” based on the main character in the Friday the 13th movie franchise. He appreciated Jason’s lack of emotion and relentlessness. By bringing Jason, his Alter Ego, onto the field, Jackson could leave his anger on the sidelines. He understood that people play many roles in life: The Alter Ego can activate the Hero Self, who is free of doubt and fear and who can engage meaningfully with work. The Alter Ego helps build resiliency and allows your creative self to flourish, while protecting your fragile self from criticism.

People mistakenly believe that Superman is Clark Kent’s Alter Ego, but actually, it’s the other way around. Superman is the Core Self, and Clark Kent is the Alter Ego that allows him to exist in society.

The Roman philosopher Cicero mentions alter egos in the first century BC. The term translates as “the other I,” and he refers to it as a “trusted friend.” People can use their powerful imagination to create possible alternate...