Character Motivation Entry: Being The Best At Something

By Angela Ackerman

What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story’s end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal’s going to be and they’ll know what to root for. But how do you know what outer motivation to choose?

If you read enough books, you’ll see the same goals being used for different characters in new scenarios. Through this thesaurus, we’d like to explore these common outer motivations so you can see your options and what those goals might look like on a deeper level.

Character’s Goal (Outer Motivation): Being The Best at Something

Forms This Might Take:

* Winning a local competition (best chili in the city, prettiest garden display, best home brewed beer, etc.)
* Winning an election (Being chosen as prom king, elected to student council, winning a seat on city council, becoming mayor, becoming a minister or judge, etc.)
* Being awarded a scholarship (for an art competition, for one’s prowess in math, for an essay one wrote, etc.)
* Being profiled in one’s local paper for an accomplishment or accolade
* Coaching the winning team
* Being chosen for the Olympic team
* Being on a winning team at the champion level
* Having one’s business win a prestigious award
* Being acknowledged for being the one to put on the best parties or events
* Being chosen (to act in a commercial, winning a part in a movie, being given a spot in an orchestra, etc.)
* Being the best parent, grandparent, teacher, boss, etc.
* Human Need Driving the Goal (Inner Motivation): esteem and recognition

How the Character May Prepare for This Goal:

* Reading up on the activity one wishes to master or the issues of importance that one should know
* Observing (in person, watching video footage, etc.), studying one’s competition
* Studying as necessary to become more proficient
* Practicing one’s communication (written, verbal, etc.) and charm to “win over” those who may be in a position to help
* Being open to trying new things, adding more “tools” to one’s toolkit
* Seeking out mentors or coaches as needed
* Practicing obsessively
* Dedicating oneself to the area of study, cutting out distractions
* Researching past winners and studying their methods
* Understanding the risks and be willing to take the ones that make sense
* Understanding one’s judges or the people one must win over to better deliver exactly what they need
* Buying whatever equipment or services that might give one an edge
* Putting in more effort than one’s competition
* Practicing affirmations and positive self-talk

Possible Sacrifices or Costs Associated With This Goal:

* Giving up one’s free time
* Friendships that grow strained because others aren’t supportive of one’s passion
* Spending one’s savings on training, equipment or other things needed to be the best
* Relationships that become damaged because of competition
* Losing out on family time
* Having less energy and focus for other things
* Dropping the ball in other areas of one’s life because of a singular (possibly obsessive) focus on one’s goal
* Roadblocks Which Could Prevent This Goal from Being Achieved: 
* A health crisis (either one’s own or that of a family member) that requires time, money, or both
* A financial crisis (losing a job, a sudden expense like needing a new car, etc.)
* Deepening family problems that must be addressed, requiring one to refocus one’s time
* A move due to work
* A talented competitor with better resources and support
* Sabotage
* Not having the knowledge, talent, or experience to be the best (needing to be more seasoned)
* Realizing this goal will not bring fulfillment (as it is a false goal and a deeper need is at the root)

Possible Fallout For the Protagonist if This Goal Is Not Met:

* Crippling disappointment
* Losing the respect or esteem of family or friends for not succeeding
* A negative outlook
* A future laden with underachieving
* Low self-worth