“I Have To Become Someone Else. I Have To Become Something Else”

Around five years ago, whilst I was visiting a friend, I ended up watching a series called ‘Arrow’. I hadn’t heard of it before but I was happy to give it a go and after watching the first episode, there was one thing that was on my mind – to watch the next one.

I thought that it was very well made and it had everything, including; a good story, interesting locations, unique characters and it was easy on the eye. After watching the first two series, I more or less forget all about the series and carried on with my life.

One Line

However, there was something that stayed with me and it was something that was said at the beginning of each episode of season one. The main character says, “I must become someone else. I must become something else.”

At the time, I wasn’t completely sure why this stood out but it was something that I often thought about as the years went by. Recently, I was drawn to Arrow again and when I started watching the fourth season, I heard the following line at the beginning of each episode, “I had to become someone else. I had to become something else.”

A Powerful Statement

As I see it, the main character realised that he had to change himself in order to handle and overcome what was taking place in his life; who he was, wasn’t cutting it. So, in the same way, that one outfit can be replaced by another; he replaced his old self with a new self.

It was clear to him that if he had stayed the same, he wouldn’t have been able to rise above what was going on. This shows he understood that who he was wasn’t set in stone and that he could change.

A Rebirth

To do this, he couldn’t hold onto who he was; he had to let go of his old self so that a new self could be born. He then looked like the same person from the outside, but on the inside, he was very different.

To use an analogy, this similar to being a situation where one tool doesn’t work and instead of giving up, simply finding one that does. By adapting to what is going on, a way forward is found.

Back To Reality

Now, although I’m talking about a character from a comic book series, it doesn’t mean that what he went through is something that a ‘normal’ human being can’t go through. Nevertheless, if someone believes that who they are is who they are, they are not going to be able to change.
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Consequently, if their life is too much for them to handle, they can hope that something ‘out there’ changes or that another person comes to the rescue. They themselves won’t have the ability to handle what is going on and to rise above it.

The Solution

If this person was to see that who they are is not fixed, they could start to imagine what their life would be like if they changed their view of themselves. The next step would be to become someone who would rise above what is going on.

With a new view of themselves, what they are going through might not be seen as very challenging. What is going on won’t have changed but through changing their identity, it will be perceived differently.

Final Thoughts

Considering this, is your view of yourself serving you or is it holding you back? Perhaps there are parts of how you see yourself that are serving you and parts that aren’t.

If there are parts that aren’t serving you, the good thing is that you can change these parts and gradually transform your life in the process. You will be changing your life from the inside out.