An alter ego (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. A person who has an alter ego is said to lead a double life.
An alter ego is a second personality that lives within the same person. A person who leads a double life, with a completely different career, family, or personality, is said to have an alter ego. Most superheroes are alter egos of regular people.
According to psychology, an alter ego is a second personality inside us. This second personality could be the total opposite of what our outwardly displayed personality is like. They do not really have to be total opposites. Did you know that your alter ego is your most genuine self? It is the one that is not defined by your specific cultural context. This is not to say that it does not respond and express itself in contrasting ways just as you’re consistently displayed outer self. Unlike what many people believe, it is not the product of a multiple personality disorder.
A good alter ego is one that can help you maintain your true identity a secret or one which can help you to mentally put together some difficult opinions or actions. A good alter ego could help you achieve your goals. So how do you know your creative alter ego? Let us check out the following steps;
Define a Goal for Your Alter Ego
Ask yourself why are you creating an alter ego, what goals do you seek to attain and are you creating an alter ego for serious business or for fun? Generally, there is no alter ego that is an extreme. Provided you do not start blurring the mental line between your alter ego and the true you, be free to come up with a detailed alter ego as you deem fit.
Let Your Alter Ego Have a Personality and Voice
The most important character of your alter ego is their personality. How do they act and how do they speak? Will be the same as the actual you except for their name? Or will it be a special character with a different personality from yours? You should make the right choice on the basis of the goals of your alter ego. In various cases, alter egos are characterized by traits their creators do not have so as to improve the content. The creator can try to overcome problems brought about by their personality defects.
Let Your Alter Ego Appear Distinctive
So how does your alter ego appear? Do they stand out in the crowd or do they seem to have an unassuming and memorable look? The appearance of your character should complement or go hand in hand with their personality. When coming up with your character, keep your own looks in mind if you are planning to show up as your alter ego in real life.
Create a Fitting Backstory for Your Alter Ego
Characters hardly exist in vacuums. A personal history that is compelling is all you need to give some sense of realism to the appearance and personality of your alter ego. A fitting back story can either be vague or detailed, ordinary or remarkable. A fitting backstory should be logical and not really correct so as to reflect the personality and appearance of your character. You can think along the following lines...
Where did my alter ego originate from?
What sort of a lifestyle did they lead?
What experiences shape them?
With whom have they had relationships with?
Think of Great Names
Believe it or not, there is power in the name. A catchy one can transform an alter ego from interesting to iconic. Come up with a creative list of names and this includes even those that you think are silly or even inappropriate, who knows they might just lead to an inspiring name. It is important to stick to your walls and think of names that fit the purpose of your alter ego. Many times, the e name of an alter ego will also show their role or personality. You can also choose a name that somehow references your own.
Fill in The Little Details Concerning Your Alter Ego
Let your character have real depth by giving him unique and specific character traits. Pick details that complement the role or personality of your character. On the other hand, you may as well pick characteristics that are contrary to the background you have given your alter ego. Just like real people, good alter egos have a lot of complications and are mostly contradictory.
Put into Practice Your Alter Ego
Having come up with a distinctive alter ego, it is now time to walk the talk. Practice and try speaking, writing or behaving like your character. Carefully check out your actions as well as voice. Think about whether your character would walk or talk in a particular manner based on their back story as well as their personality. Gather all the necessary materials that your alter ego might require. You are the only one who can decide the far you want to take your alter ego. If all goes well with you, your alter ego might even become more famous than you!
Remain in Character
If you want your alter ego to be more real and authentic, you must commit to your performance. People may not really see you as an entirely new person if you keep on flip flopping between the old you and the new you. Resist any factors and forces that push you to behave like the normal you. See that you modify your daily characters and routines match those of your alter ego. If your alter ego dresses himself or herself differently from you, you have to make changes in your own life.
Look for Inspiration from Famous Alter Egos
There are so many figures in history who have adopted alter egos. You can look into history books for examples of how to put yourself in your new identity. Be free to pay respect to the past alter egos via small references and details. You can also check out other examples of alter egos that did not work out and build on them.
Your alter ego could bring you lots of profit if you design it and work it out properly. People are constantly acting and showing themselves with all their personality facets. So if you are looking to understand your creative alter ego, walk through the above tips and you will most certainly succeed.
Art and love are the same thing: It’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you... Everything you can imagine is real. P.P
