Why you need to catch your evil alter ego (before it hijacks your conversation)
We all have an Evil Alter Ego — the internal voice that jumps to the worst possible interpretation in a hard moment:
“She’s doing this on purpose.”
“He never listens.”
“Here we go again.”
This voice isn’t actually evil. It’s your brain in threat mode. When your amygdala fires, you stop seeing the situation clearly and start reacting to a story your brain has made up.
And that’s where conversations go off the rails.
Why It Matters
When your Evil Alter Ego takes over:
You stop listening — you’re preparing your defence.
You assign negative intent — without evidence.
You show up in ways you later regret — sharp, shut down, or checked out.
The real issue becomes buried under assumptions, and you lose access to the Explore mindset — the one place where real dialogue and real change happen.
The Leadership Move: Catch It Early
Noticing your Evil Alter Ego gives you back choice. It creates a small but powerful pause where you can reset.
Try these quick thought interrupts:
“What else could be true?”
“What do I know for sure?”
“What outcome do I want here?”
These micro-shifts pull you out of reactivity and back into intention — which is exactly where an On Point Conversation begins.
The Payoff
Catching your Evil Alter Ego doesn’t just save the conversation. It strengthens your relationships, your leadership presence, and your ability to stay centred in tough moments.
Because when you choose how you show up — instead of letting your triggered brain decide — everything becomes possible again.