Be your own hero

This exercise devised by Roy Leighton is a lot of fun - and will help you realise that being who you'd like to be isn't so impossible after all. Just 'think positive' and follow this simple exercise.



What's it for?
This is an exercise for you to rehearse undeveloped ability and fulfil your potential. You will need at least two people to perform this exercise.

How do I do it?
Who is your hero? If you don't have one then try to think of someone who has characteristics that you admire or wish you had. Your hero may be real, fictional, dead or alive. Think of why you admire them. What are the specific qualities that you look up to?

Imagine how your hero might behave on a very simple level, for example how might they walk round a room. Try and emulate them.
Once you have established how your hero moves, think of a phrase that your hero might say. Take on the persona of your hero and have a chat with somebody. What would they say and how would they behave? What advice might they give others?
Next think of a scenario from the past that did not go as well as you would have liked. This can be a problem you experienced at work or at home; an interaction with another person; a struggle with learning or motivation - just about anything. Working with a friend, play out the scenario as you remember it happening, including the negative outcome.
What would you have liked to do differently? Re-enact the situation but this time as your hero. Try not to take action which is too fantastic; laser beaming someone to the planet Zarg, for example, would be deemed inappropriate! Focus instead on the superior 'human' qualities of your character, and let them dictate your reactions.
Was the outcome positive this time? If so, how did it feel and how did you cope as your hero? Enjoy the feeling of release as well as success.
Then ask yourself whether you were just acting as your hero or if you were uncovering hidden attributes to your own personality. It might well have felt strange but this is because you're not used to behaving in this way.


As with anything, practice makes perfect so if this exercise was good for you then carry on assuming the qualities that you'd like to have. In time you'll see that making a change is not so difficult, and that by acting as our heroes we can become more like them. If you're up for it, keep a journal of experimentation with your 'hero' and chart your progress. You may well be surprised.