The Alter Ego Effect

Author – Todd Herman

Date Started – 5 July 2021

Date Finished – 12 July 2021

The Book in 3 Sentences

  1. The book offers an approach on how to construct and benefit from alter egos, or the little heroes inside you, so as to achieve your desired goals and build a successful life with the help of a few key role models from that you can borrow some attributes from or even impersonate in times of need.

  2. It offers ways of Defining Your Superpowers and Crafting the Name, Breathing Life into Your Alter Ego, Activating Your Alter Ego with a Totem or Artifact, Tests, Trials, and Delivering the Ground Punch – which according to me is not required, all you need is to tap into few key role models and use them to drive motivation, energy or whatever you think is needed to tap into.

  3. The book Features numerous examples of successful people who have created alter egos, it offers clear, practical strategies for success in every area of life.

Impressions

Superman didn’t become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears – the glasses, the business suit – that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He’s weak… he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race.

How the Book Changed Me

The book left a big mark on me. that after I tested the concept of alter ego.

How? well after reading the book and understanding the concept to the extent I could, I was having a game of tennis with my pal.

I was losing the game and then I said to myself why not I test the concept, and immediatly I thought of my favorite tennis player Novak Djokovic (world number 1 player) and wondered what would he do if he is in this situation. You won’t believe I eventually won that game. I could feel the real sense of the alter ego.

I was inspired to do this based on one of the stories in the book, about a lady who bought Oprah whimsy’s shoes in a sale and kept them in her room, whenever she felt down or lost she used to wear the shoe and think what would Oprah do in this situation and would transform and deal with her issues, she did that till a point she did not need the shoe and was able to manage her concerns.

My Top 3 Quotes

  • “If you don’t know what your alter-ego looks like and what its superpowers are, you won’t be able to use it.”
  • “Your superhero can do things that you are afraid to do.”
  • “We are judged in our lives by what we do, not  by what we think or intend to do”

Who should read it

Everyone, as we all have an alter ego and this gets us introduced to our alter ego. This is powerful if understood well.