CHARACTER MOTIVATION THESAURUS

BECOMING THE SOLE POWER OR AUTHORITY (DARK)



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Character Motivation Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

To understand why your character is driven toward a certain goal, get to know their positive and negative traits, as well as any significant emotional wounds that might be motivating them. Then you can explore the various kinds of conflict that could block them as they move toward their goal.
NOTES:
Similar to CONTROLLING OTHERS, a character believes they must have power over all else, and this power cannot be shared. But this doesn't mean power simply for the sake of it. Instead they have a specific motivation driving them—an unmet need that, in their mind, that can only return to a state of balance by becoming the ultimate authority.

FORMS THIS MIGHT TAKE:
Assuming the role of dictator
Being crowned king, queen, emperor, empress, or whatever fits
Being revered as a God
Gaining a power that outstrips everyone else (like magic) and fully embracing the newfound status
Gaining control of a critical resource that everyone else depends on
Securing an artifact that gives the character dominion over others
Achieving power over life and death
Gaining power over a person's soul, reincarnation, heaven and hell, or other spiritual constructs
Having the power to destroy anything and everything should the character wish to
Having control over time itself

HUMAN NEED DRIVING THE GOAL (INNER MOTIVATION):
There are five basic human needs that, when missing from a character's life, could motivate them to pursue this goal. The following needs are all possibilities, but only one of them should be the primary driver for any given character. For more information on the relationship between human needs and outer motivations, please see​ this ​Character Motivation tutorial.

Self-Actualization: A narcissistic character, especially a zealot, may believe through flawed logic that only they are capable of making the right decisions for humanity (or the universe, etc.), and therefore they must achieve ultimate authority and fulfill their destiny.
Esteem and Recognition: A character looking to prove their worth to others, especially those who never believed in the character's capabilities, would be driven to achieve dominion over all.
Love and Belonging: If a character was looking to prove their love to a powerful person, this goal would help them impress the love interest or prove they are equals.
Safety and Security: A character who truly believes only they can save everyone from themselves may seize power so they can course correct before it is too late.
Physiological Needs: When one's basic needs are threatened and survival itself is on the line, one may feel they must remove anyone that can challenge their well-being.

HOW THE CHARACTER MAY PREPARE FOR THIS GOAL:
...

POSSIBLE SACRIFICES OR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GOAL:
...

ROADBLOCKS WHICH COULD PREVENT THIS GOAL FROM BEING ACHIEVED:
...

TALENTS & SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THE CHARACTER ACHIEVE THIS GOAL:
...

WHAT'S AT STAKE IF THIS GOAL ISN'T MET?
...

CLICHÉS TO AVOID:
...