What Would Sasha Fierce Do?

The Batman effect, Beyoncé, building your own alter ego

You need to step back—way back—to see the bigger picture. Or better yet, step into another persona.

I recently discovered the Batman Effect, which led me down a rabbit hole. But, in the spirit of keeping things brief, I want to give you more time to reflect and less time reading. I’ll share a quick exercise at the end, and my hope is that you take a moment to actually try it—whether it’s to process past ideas or, like me, to use this tool to get a little closer to the life you’re dreaming of.

You’ve probably heard of Sasha Fierce (Beyoncé), Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie), or Black Mamba (Kobe Bryant). Why did these legends create alter egos? Turns out, it’s an extreme form of self-distancing—taking a step back from your immediate feelings to view things more clearly and act more objectively.

So, what is self-distancing? It’s like becoming a fly on the wall of your own life for a moment. You step out of your emotions and look at the situation from the outside. It gives you that breathing room to think logically instead of reacting emotionally.

In one study, kids were given a boring task, and to help them stay focused, they were told to ask themselves, "What would [their name] do?" But when the researchers went further and asked them to channel an alter ego like Batman or Dora the Explorer, the kids who embodied their heroes performed the best.

Which brings me back to building an alter ego—just like Sasha Fierce. What if you could create one to help you handle stressful moments or work towards big goals?

I’m currently working on this myself, and I can already see how helpful it could be for things like:

• Setting and sticking to goals

• Handling stressful moments where emotions override logic

• Showing up with confidence in presentations or meetings

• Breaking through creative blocks by seeing things differently

No, I’m not about to share my alter ego just yet—but I do hope this inspires you to think about creating one of your own. And if that feels like too much, at least try some self-distancing next time you need a bit more perspective.

Not sure where to start? Good news, you don’t need to overthink it. If kids pretending to be Dora can benefit, so can we. Here’s how I approached it:

1. Identify what you want to change: Pinpoint the traits or situations you struggle with—like stage fright or showing your work with confidence.

2. Define the traits you want: Once you know what to change, list the traits you want to embody—confidence, creativity, discipline.

3. Build the character: Give your alter ego a name, style, or persona. Beyoncé has Sasha Fierce. Who’s yours?

4. Step into the role: Actually use your alter ego. Ask yourself, "What would [your alter ego] do?" Or, for a more involved approach, here are several way to step into character:

   1. Set a trigger: Create a ritual that signals the switch—like putting on specific clothing, visualizing a symbol, or playing a song.

   2. Visualize them: Focus on your alter ego’s strengths, imagining how they’d handle the situation.

   3. Use affirmations: Repeat phrases that embody their traits.

   4. Act 'as if': Adopt their posture, voice, and decision-making style.

I’m still in the early stages, but as I work on my own goals for the next 12-24 months, I can already feel how shifting my perspective is helping me approach things differently.

If this is helpful, or you have had success using this technique, let me know!

Personal Work

Hey, you made it to the end! Less a secret, and more a… not sure you know… I have a derpy dog that goes on all our adventures with us; his name is Indy. So all the photos I share of forests and beaches, well, there usually is a version with Indy.