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Ep. 84 - REPLAY - Who Is The Real You: A Look Inside The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
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If you’ve ever struggled to sustain change—whether in your habits, your mindset, or the way you show up in a specific area of your life—it’s likely because your brain is holding onto an identity that doesn’t yet match the change you’re trying to make.
That’s why we’re revisiting an episode from the archives on Todd Herman’s work on alter egos—a tool designed to help you more quickly and impactfully "overcome all the obstacles holding you back from achieving the results you want."
That’s where repeated beingness comes in.
James Clear describes identity as something we don’t just decide to have—it’s something we repeat into existence through action. And when we struggle with change, it’s often because we’re missing one or both of these key prongs of identity formation:
- Repetition – Consistently showing up in a certain way, even before it feels natural.
- Beingness – The mindset, energy, and self-concept that reinforce why we’re showing up that way.
But change doesn’t have to be slow.
The reason The Alter Ego Effect is such a powerful framework is that it helps us step into repeated beingness immediately—rather than waiting months or years for our identity to catch up.
Instead of trying to become the version of you who can confidently take action, the alter ego lets you experience yourself as that person right now.
By:
- Defining a specific “field of play” where you want to show up differently
- Creating a deliberately crafted alter ego that already possesses the traits you need
- Using a trigger, artifact, or ritual to instantly activate that version of you
…you remove hesitation, bypass internal resistance, and accelerate the number of “identity reps” you get—making it easier for your brain to accept and reinforce your elevated self-concept faster.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why so many people set the same goals every year and quietly quit within weeks
- How identity is shaped through repeated beingness—and how to use that to your advantage
- Why the alter ego isn’t about “pretending”—it’s about revealing who you’ve been all along
- The power of subtraction: how high performers remove the doubts and stories that keep them stuck
- How the alter ego framework removes the struggle of identity shift by giving you a tool to reinforce your new self faster
- How you can start using the alter ego effect to hurdle obstacles in your own "field of play"
This rebroadcast sets the stage for upcoming episodes where we’ll take Todd Herman’s work even deeper.
As you listen, think about where you’ve been stuck in trying to change—and whether an alter ego could be the tool that finally allows you to experience yourself as the version of you who already moves, already acts, and already succeeds as your most powerful, capable self.
Resources & Links:
- The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find me on LinkedIn
- Get 1:1 life and mindset coaching
Life can be so much more than we think. And that's where we start - with your thinking. See how your thoughts have been holding you back, and learn how to cut through the noise and move powerfully forward. $39 coaching calls.
To book a call, visit KariWatterson.com.
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