Imagine you’re the background character in a movie:
A soldier in Braveheart about to charge into battle with a metal bucket for a helmet
One of the fools following Forrest Gump on his run across America
The female dancing frivolously in a party, bar, or god forbid, High School Musical scene
I like to imagine myself as a patron eating lunch in the background, only to get cut from the scene altogether after spilling ketchup on my nicest shirt. That’d be enough to ruin most people’s afternoon- to no effect on the protagonist’s unfurling story.
But putting myself in this perspective does two things to open my mind:
- The most important thing going on at a given time or place probably isn’t myself.
- I can write my own story in life; a protagonist’s fate is sealed by the script.
A background soldier who’s also a pacifist? Hide behind the strong guy in front of you!
A guy following Forrest Gump? Get a nice run in, go back to your desk job, and spend time with family/ friends next weekend.
The person dancing frivolously in the background? Revel in your lack of seriousness, good sense, or any worthwhile purpose. Background characters have the freedom to be frivolous whereas most protagonists don’t.
Even a graduation, wedding, or swearing into office is about the people who supported you on that journey. Do you see yourself as a protagonist or background character? How other people see you is definitely the latter, and maybe that’s a good thing.