“’Happily ever
afters’ are not just
for movie
characters, they’re
for all of us.”
Step Into
Your Main
Character Era
Big decisions are tricky.
Red pill or blue pill? Ask the question or stay silent? Double down or walk away?
Either choice could lead to a better life; either choice could end in disaster. No pressure. A major crossroad. Irreversible consequences. And you can’t stay where you are.
This is a main character moment. One where the choice made will shape the future.
But it’s not just this moment. Because in fact, we craft our life story with every decision we make and every action we take. It’s no secret that to make life a masterpiece, we sometimes have to step back and get a different perspective. It’s not a formula—it’s an art form.
Calling forth our main character is a personal responsibility. It cannot be forced. It can only be chosen.
When we accept all that we are meant to be—our wild and crazy dreams, our superpowers, our flawesomeness, and all the quirks that make us us, we give ourselves the most coveted prize there is: the knowing of what we’re capable of.
In the movies, every story starts with a main character with a goal. In real life, we all have goals, and we all can apply the same creative tactics used to craft Hollywood heroes and heroines to accelerate our real life success.
Know your goals like Erin Brockovich
(Erin Brockovich, 2000)
Erin didn’t have a law degree, but she had something just as powerful: a clear goal and the determination to achieve it. That clarity kept her going when the work got messy, exhausting, and thankless. When you know what you’re fighting for, nothing can stop you.
Creative Tactic 1: Embrace your flawesomeness.
Flawesomeness is the highly scientific formula of Your Flaws + Your
Awesomeness.
Embracing your flawesomeness is your biggest growth opportunity, and
therefore, the key to transformation. It tells you where you need to work, get help or improve yourself.
Embrace your flawsomeness like Evelyn Wang
(Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022)
She’s overwhelmed, distracted, stubborn, and (by her own admission) not living her best life. But when she splits into infinite versions of herself, Evelyn learns her messiness is her strength. It’s not perfection that holds a family together or saves the world.
This personal acceptance helps you bridge the gap between where you are and where you need to be, know when to double-down on superpowers or strengths, and keep you humble. You can’t go from underdog to heroine without some real talk—especially to yourself.
Creative Tactic 2: ask for the help you need—even from unlikely sources.
Life is a team sport, and we need a strong team of A-players. A supporter raises the bar. This includes mentors, allies, role models, and extras.
Build up your team like Mirabel Madrigal
(Encanto, 2021)
She may not have a magical gift, but Mirabel’s strength is what she brings out in others. Her story is about seeing the cracks, asking the hard questions, and pulling her family back together, stronger than before. The real magic?
Connection.
Creative Tactic 3: Condition your subconscious mind.
What I mean by that is: imagine your story where it all works out. Visually replay that ending over and over.
Reinforce it with your own narrative forensics—that is, your own past success stories. Add in affirmations, songs, movies, even memes. Ninety-five percent of our decisions are made in our subconscious. Pay attention to everything you’re feeding it.
Lean into your strengths like Nyota Uhura
(Star Trek Into Darkness, 2013)
Her skills aren’t as flashy as her crewmates’, but she leans into her linguistic brilliance, emotional composure, and interpersonal intelligence to prove that power isn’t always about force. And that makes her indispensable.
Creative Tactic 4: Rewrite your script liberally.
Sometimes we think that setting a goal and making a plan works on a pass/fail system only. Not true. It’s important to re-evaluate goals as we go and adjust course for new information, new circumstances, and changing resources.
See, in the show you call life, there is only one hero.
You. You’re the one who writes the scripts, calls the shots, celebrates victories, and regroups after defeats. Even if you’re deferring decisions, “going with the flow,” or following an outdated story, you and only you are the hero of your story.
Take bold steps like Wonder Woman
(Wonder Woman, 2017)
When Diana climbs out of the trenches and crosses No Man’s Land, she doesn’t wait for permission. She steps into danger when no one else will because she sees a challenge and knows she can make a difference. Her courage rallies others, but it starts with her.
Each day, you have the choice to continue the script you’re in or do a rewrite.
And just like in a Hollywood movie, your story doesn’t start when you’re ready.
It starts when you decide.