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via Getty

via Getty

It’s common for people to have imposter syndrome in different lines of work. This can happen to anyone, but for people who have the world’s eyes on them, it can be extremely difficult to manage. As the status goes up, the chances of this developing can also increase. So to counter this, celebrities use a technique called character invention.

Matt Schnuck is a San Francisco-based entrepreneur and executive coach. He is revealing the secrets of the best coaches in the world. Todd Herman has worked with various personalities throughout their careers. Schnuck has now revealed how Herman worked with Kobe Bryant and helped him develop the Black Mamba.

Kobe Bryant created the Black Mamba persona by using this method

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Todd Herman met the Los Angeles Lakers legend at one of the lowest points in his career. Matt Schnuck revealed how Herman helped Kobe develop his inner persona, the Black Mamba. As someone who is extremely ambitious and has to perform in front of millions, you can often be pushed beyond your comfort zone. According to Matt Schnuck, there are steps involved in developing your inner character.

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First, you have to understand your own weaknesses. Once you have done that, you can then choose a character that helps you fill the role and helps you in areas that you are weak at. Our character is a manifestation of what we are lacking. You can look into historical figures, fictional characters, or even inanimate objects to determine the source of your character.

In Kobe’s case, Kobe saw the movie Kill Bill in 2003. Uma Thurman’s assassin role in the movie was called ‘The Black Mamba’. This was because of her skill set and her ruthless behavior. Kobe decided that was what he wanted to be. He used this to have an extreme work ethic as well.

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Matt Schnuck then revealed that Kobe spent all his time trying to understand everything about the snake. He believes that Kobe has done so much research that he could have had more knowledge about it than a biologist. The character helped Kobe face all the criticism and verbal abuse that he was receiving in the early 2000s and still perform at a high level.

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How character invention helped Kobe and other celebrities

Kobe revealed in 2015 that he overcame challenges because of his character. He was being suffocated with so many things, and he was not able to manage his personal and professional lives. Kobe was the one dealing with personal life, and the Black Mamba was the cold, ruthless player on the court.

Earlier in her career, Beyonce developed her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, to overcome her anxiety and nervousness and perform in front of millions. She described it as something that takes over when she is about to take the stage. David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and Nicki Minaj’s Roman Zolanski are also figures they used to take over them.

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What do you think about character invention? Let us know in the comments!