The World’s Greatest Performers Have an Alter Ego
Eminem as Slim Shady.
Beyoncé as Sasha Fierce.
Deion Sanders as Prime Time.
These famous alter egos highlight something powerful: the ability to tap into a different version of ourselves to meet the moment.
According to Dictionary.com, an alter ego is “a person’s secondary or alternative personality.” In sport psychology, alter ego for athletes can be a game-changing mental skill — and one I was reminded of through my work with a young athlete named Eli.
Why Alter Ego for Athletes Is a Tool Worth Revisiting
While earning my master’s degree in sport psychology, one of the more memorable books I read was The Brave Athlete: Calm the F**ck Down and Rise to the Occasion* by Dr. Simon Marshall and triathlete Lesley Paterson.
The book stood out because it took a bold, practical approach to mental training. One activity helped readers develop an alter ego — a separate identity that allows an athlete to step outside their everyday self and into a mindset better suited for competition.
At the time, I appreciated the creativity of the exercise. But I wouldn’t have instinctively introduced alter ego for athletes as a coaching tool. That is, until I met Eli.
Meet Eli: The Athlete Who Showed Me Alter Ego for Athletes in Action
Eli was a high school senior, a middle-distance track athlete with aspirations of competing at the collegiate level. We had been working together for a few months, and I had come to admire his uniqueness.
He was laid-back and thoughtful — a big fan of hip-hop, anime, and video games. But make no mistake: Eli was fiercely competitive and fully committed to improving. Like many athletes, Eli also experienced anxiety before competition, despite his calm demeanor.
During one of our early sessions, he told me something that caught me off guard: before big races, he pictured himself as Superman. That comment stuck with me. I’d never had a client bring up alter ego for athletes unprompted before.
Following the Breadcrumbs to Confidence, Composure, and Speed
So in our next session, I got curious. Were there other characters Eli imagined himself as? Sure enough, there were.
He mentioned Jules from Pulp Fiction — cool under pressure, always composed. A surprising contrast to Superman, but consistent with Eli’s cinematic tastes and his desire to stay mentally grounded during competition.
That got me thinking: if Eli had go-to alter egos for stamina and composure, did he tap into other identities for different mental skills? I posed that exact question to Eli: what characters could he channel for confidence, focus, speed, or strength?
When it came to confidence, Eli lit up. He told me about Luffy, the main character from the Japanese anime series One Piece — a pirate with a body made of rubber, capable of wild feats and totally unrelenting in pursuit of his dream of becoming Pirate King.
What resonated with Eli was this: Luffy feels pain, but “thugs it out.” For Eli, that’s confidence — not the absence of discomfort, but the ability to push through it with belief and resolve. It’s a clear example of how alter ego for athletes translates directly into performance.
What Alter Ego for Athletes Taught Me as a Coach
I’ve never had a strong imagination, and that often spills into my coaching. I’m typically pragmatic and straightforward — and that usually serves me well.
But my experience with Eli reminded me of a fundamental truth about coaching: there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What matters most is helping each client unlock what works for them, even when a tool like alter ego for athletes falls outside my own comfort zone.
I’ve known since graduate school that creativity is one of the most important attributes for a mental performance coach to have. Honestly, applying alter ego for athletes is one of the skills I’ve had to work hardest to develop, because it doesn’t come naturally for me.
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The Real Lesson: It’s Not About the Coach
One of the best parts of my job is how much I learn from my clients. Working with Eli challenged me to open my mind, adapt my methods, and even consider borrowing some imagination myself.
It’s not about my ego or sticking to what I know. It’s about meeting the athlete where they are — and helping them build on their strengths to get the most out of their abilities.
Eli already had a powerful tool in his mental performance toolbox. It was my job to help him sharpen it — to turn this instinctive strategy into a skill he can call on consistently, especially when he’s waiting for the starting gun.
Maybe Every Coach Needs an Alter Ego Too
I often encourage my clients to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Eli’s teaching me to take my own advice.
Maybe I need to fake it ’til I make it sometimes too — not to become someone I’m not, but to better serve the athletes who are trusting me to guide them. After all, if Eli can channel Superman, Jules, and Luffy, maybe I should channel my own alter egos to help me perform my best.
Do you know a young athlete who could benefit from exploring alter ego for athletes as a tool? Whether it’s Superman, Sasha Fierce, or a One Piece pirate, stepping into an alter ego could be the confidence boost your athlete needs. Who might they become to rise to the occasion?
FAQ
What is alter ego for athletes? Alter ego for athletes is a mental training technique where a competitor channels a character, hero, or persona whose traits — like confidence, calm, or aggression — help them access a mindset better suited for competition.
How does alter ego for athletes work in sports psychology? An athlete identifies a character whose qualities they want to embody, then consciously channels that identity in moments of pressure to shift their mindset and behavior during training or competition.
Is alter ego for athletes only useful for elite competitors? No. Athletes of any age or level can use it. In this case, a high school track athlete used alter ego for athletes as a tool, showing it’s especially valuable for young athletes still developing their competitive identity.
How do I know if my young athlete could benefit from alter ego for athletes? If your athlete experiences pre-competition anxiety, struggles with confidence, or has untapped mental tools they haven’t learned to use consistently, alter ego for athletes is worth exploring with a qualified mental performance coach.
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Michael Huber, MA, CMPC® holds a master’s degree in sport psychology. He helps young athletes ages 14 to 22 be themselves when everyone is watching, including learning how to navigate overthinking under pressure. Learn more about Michael