Getting outside perspective can help you get a handle on the situation. What it can also do is help you get a better feel for who you are deep down. Knowing yourself is highly recommended, as you will know what your strengths and weaknesses are. Knowing the situation is the first step to mastery of the situation. Just as you cannot get a handle on your finances until you look at your bank account, and you cannot get a handle on your weight until you step up to the scale, your progress in self-mastery will be limited until you can get some sense of who you are.
Setting the ego aside
Character is what you stand for. Reputation is what you fall for.
Setting the ego aside can be difficult to do, especially when you are just starting out. We tell ourselves that we are what we do or what we have or what our body looks like. But the truth is that we are none of these things. These are things that our ego clings to to assert the illusion of control. In order to get a sense of who you are deep down. One of the best ways we can slip by is to keep it distracted.
Time to tell a story.
Find a quiet time with just yourself and something that you can use to write. You can use a computer for this, but the free-form nature of pencil (or pen) and paper lends more to this exercise.
Start by asking yourself: What kind of story is this? Is it a drama? A comedy? Historical? Fantasy or sci-fi? A thriller? Really go to town with this: It’s your imagination – play with it. Once you have the general setting, try creating characters. Don’t obsess about details – just get a general idea. One will stand out above the rest. The main character. Once you’ve identified this person, move on to the next. Keep going until you have assembled the cast of characters.
Now that you have come this far, ask yourself: What are they doing? What drives each of them? Are they all heroes? Are any of them villains? Are there any that I seriously dislike? As you do this, you may find the premise for the story: A classic myth, a climactic struggle between good and evil, a light-hearted comedy about day-to-day life, a Tennessee Williams-esque tragedy, or something else entirely. Remember: There is no right or wrong for this.
Once you have your basic setting, your cast of characters, and your basic plot, it’s time for the real fun. Each of these characters is a piece of you. Yes, even that one. Yes, the really annoying/creepy/evil one. But to you is given a golden opportunity: You can ask them questions. Keep it in story, but ask them. If you are wondering what’s up with the annoying/creepy/evil one try digging into the past or looking at the motivations of the character. Don’t be so focused on the main character, as that one is the “talking self” that we see every day. Try to interact more with the supporting characters. See what rises to the surface.
A few of things to remember with this process:
- No system requirements to worry about: You don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re an expert at meditating, or achieved super self-discipline. If you have an imagination, it can work for you.
- Don’t take it literally. This is a story, a myth used to look at your inner world. It’s going to be a little encoded, and the only way to figure out the code is to keep playing with it. By the same token,
- Don’t take it to seriously. If you get too serious, your ego steps in and slams the door. Remember, this is not a full-out assault on the ego. This is more delicate.
- Do keep notes of what’s going on. Keep notes of the questions and answers. Keep notes of the character traits. Keep notes of any scenes of the story you work out. The better your notes, the more you can glean from them in the future.
- Above all, have fun
This outline is just the beginning. Once your imagination is engaged, you can tweak this for any number of uses: Problem solving, (obviously) introspection, creativity, or as an intuitive exercise. If you are trying to sharpen your intuition, using the story as a springboard for your mind can be an excellent tool.
Have you used anything similar or have another use for the technique? Please share it in the comments!
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