CHARACTER MOTIVATION THESAURUS

RUINING SOMEONE'S REPUTATION (DARK)



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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.
FORMS THIS MIGHT TAKE:
Subverting the opinions of those closest to the target (family and friends)
Destroying the target's reputation in the business world
Making any associations with a target undesirable so they are shunned socially and publicly
Causing damage to a family name

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 character who believes someone is standing in their way will feel justified in sabotaging their reputation to reach their own goals (which they think are more important than anyone else's).
Esteem and Recognition: A character who feels powerless may seek to reclaim that power by destroying another's reputation, therefore proving to themselves that they do have influence.
Love and Belonging: A character seeking acceptance or love may try to ruin the reputation of anyone who thwarts those important relationships (a romantic rival, someone who has rejected a loved one, someone bullying the character's child at school, etc.).
Safety and Security: A character who views someone as a threat to their lifestyle may seek to destroy their reputation and remove their influence in the future

HOW THE CHARACTER MAY PREPARE FOR THIS GOAL:
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POSSIBLE SACRIFICES OR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GOAL:
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ROADBLOCKS WHICH COULD PREVENT THIS GOAL FROM BEING ACHIEVED:
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TALENTS & SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THE CHARACTER ACHIEVE THIS GOAL:
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WHAT'S AT STAKE IF THIS GOAL ISN'T MET?
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CLICHÉS TO AVOID:
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