© Shutterstock

Sasha Fierce -

In 2008, Beyoncé spoke to Oprah about Sasha Fierce, the alter ego she created to conquer performance anxiety and perform with confidence night after night.

© Getty Images

Sasha Fierce -

She told Oprah: “Usually when I hear the chords, when I put on my stilettos, like the moment right before when you’re nervous… then Sasha Fierce appears, and my posture and the way I speak and everything is different.”

© Getty Images

Sasha Fierce -

Beyoncé apparently relied on Sasha Fierce to give her confidence until 2010, when she felt she had matured enough not to need her alter ego any more.

© Getty Images

Sasha Carter -

Beyonce is not the only star to have an alter ego: in 2011, Adele spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about Sasha Carter, the alternative persona she came up with after meeting Beyoncé.

© Getty Images

Sasha Carter -

Sasha Carter, who was apparently a combination of Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce and the country music singer June Carter, helped Adele during her rise to fame.

© Getty Images

Sasha Carter -

The ‘Hello’ singer told Rolling Stone that inventing Sasha Carter ensured that during her breakout year she gave her very best to every single performance.

© Getty Images

Psychological technique -

The creation of an alter ego may sound like the self-indulgent behavior of a mega star, but in fact it is an example of “self-distancing,” a psychological technique with proven benefits.

© Shutterstock

Self-distancing -

Self-distancing is the act of removing yourself from immediate feelings in order to view a situation more rationally. It can help with anxiety and do wonders for determination and self-control.

© Shutterstock

It just takes a little -

Research shows that the shift in perspective involved with self-distancing needn’t be dramatic in order for people to get their emotions under control.

© Shutterstock

"Facing a challenge" experiment -

In one study, two groups of participants were asked to consider a challenge they may face in the future, such as taking an exam.

© Shutterstock

"Facing a challenge" experiment -

The first group was asked to think about the challenge as if they were immersed in it, while the second group was asked to think about it as if they were a fly on the wall.

© Shutterstock

"Facing a challenge" experiment -

Those who were asked to think about the event from a removed standpoint were considerably less anxious and more confident in their ability to achieve their goal.

© Shutterstock

Public speaking experiment -

In a similar experiment, two groups of people were asked to think about giving a speech in public. The first group was asked to consider their emotions in the third person, i.e. “Katherine feels…”

© Shutterstock

Public speaking experiment -

The second group was asked to consider their emotions in the first person, i.e. “I feel…” Again, the difference in the groups’ reactions were dramatic.

© Shutterstock

Public speaking experiment -

The people who thought about their emotions in the third person scored lower in both their subjective ratings of emotion and objective measures such as increase in heart rate.

© Shutterstock

Added benefit -

Independent observers even reported that greater feelings of confidence in those who used the third person made for a higher quality of presentation.

© Shutterstock

How it works -

It seems therefore that self-distancing enables us to see the bigger picture and not get caught up in distracting emotions.

© Shutterstock

Potential of the technique -

This has led researchers to question whether the technique could be used to increase levels of determination, as well as reduce anxiety.

© Shutterstock

Puzzle experiment -

In one experiment, participants were asked to practice self-distancing before completing a puzzle. Results indeed showed that self-distancing made participants more determined to improve their performance.

© Shutterstock

Applications -

Self-distancing techniques are exciting for health professionals, because evidence suggests that they can help people live more healthily.

© Shutterstock

Applications -

For example, the practice of self-distancing can help people who have trouble motivating themselves to exercise or who find it difficult to maintain a healthy diet.

© Shutterstock

Food experiment -

In a recent experiment, participants were asked to practice self-distancing when deciding between different types of food, e.g. between a piece of fruit and a handful of candy.

© Shutterstock

Food experiment -

Results showed that thinking about the choice in the third person, i.e. “What does Katherine want?” rather than “What do I want?” made participants more likely to choose the healthy option.

© Shutterstock

Weight loss programs -

According to Celina Furman, a social psychology researcher at the University of Minnesota, self-distancing techniques may come in useful for weight loss programs.

© Shutterstock

Weight loss programs -

For example, mobile apps that help people to lose weight may incorporate prompts that remind users to think in the third person when planning meals.

© Shutterstock

Child psychology -

Child psychologists are also hopeful about the benefits of self-distancing when it comes to children and their academic performance, which hinges on self-discipline as well as IQ.

© Shutterstock

Child psychology -

In one experiment, three groups of children were given a mundane task to complete and they were told to consider their feelings whenever the activity became too boring.

© Shutterstock

Child psychology -

The first group of children were asked to think in the first person, i.e. “Am I working hard?” The second group were asked to think in the third person, i.e. “Is Gabriel working hard?”

© Shutterstock

Fictional characters -

The third group were asked to assume the role of their favorite fictional character, e.g. Batman or Harry Potter. The children in the third group stuck with the task longest.

© Shutterstock

Give it a try -

So, next time you face a task that requires confidence and self-determination, why not distance yourself from distracting emotions by creating an alter ego, perhaps your favorite TV character?

Sources: (BBC) (E!)

See also: How to stay calm under pressure

© Shutterstock