When a character gets what he or she wants the character finds that it’s a hollow victory. Even though the object of desire is in hand, it doesn’t deliver what the character truly needs and, so, the prize feels empty. The character has had to sacrifice too much of him or herself to obtain the goal. No prize, object or goal is worth a sacrifice of the true self. Nothing is worth falling to the dark side.

When a character truly embraces what he or she needs the character feels a sense of completion and inner satisfaction. Worldly prizes, possessions and goals don’t satisfy like genuine relationships, lasting friendships and true love. Those who have sacrificed the true self to obtain worldly goals at the expense of friendship and love find themselves alone. By surrender all to the fear the character has made the fear a reality—he or she has become unloved and unloveable.

Yes, the character has to sacrifice or surrender a treasured goal. But when the character has what he or she needs, this ego-driven pursuit no longer matters so desperately. And, when the want doesn’t really matter any more, that’s when the want often comes to meet the character on the other side. The paradox is: The harder a character chases after a goal the further it usually recedes. When the character concentrates instead on being his or her highest truest self that’s when true “success” follows.

What happens when the character falls into an emotional trap during the journey? Is this a good thing? Absolutely. We want to see the character really struggle with his or her values. We want to see the character get tripped up, back-slide and get stuck in increasingly difficult situations as he or she makes the critical choices which will lead to the dark side or to the light of the true self. We want to see his or her options narrow and the risks mount. Quite frankly, we want to see the character suffer and squirm.

Click Here to learn how to build an effective Emotional Trap for your character. This guide will show you how a character gets boxed in and tripped up along the way to his or her ultimate transformation. The way should never be smooth for your character. It should be filled with pitfalls, snares, traps and ambushes. Are you ready to go on to the next step?

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