Imaginary Enemies: A Strategy for the Slightly Unstable (Like Me!)
I invent enemies who doubt me. It's the most reliable motivation I've got.
Quick note before today’s post: My free course, Cowork Mondays. Zero to Claude Cowork in Six Weeks, ends on Monday! The feedback has been positive, and I’m so glad it’s helping people dip their toes into the waters of agentic AI. You know, AI that “does stuff” for us. If you’re curious, check it out!
Can I share something with you?
It’s a bit embarrassing.
I believe in the monster under the bed.
You know the one:
You’re a kid, you’re tucked in, you’ve got your stuffed animal underneath your arm and the sheets pulled up to your neck. Your parent flips off the lights and gently shuts the door. Then the thoughts surface. Yep, that’s definitely a monster under the bed.
But there’s an adult version.
We are, after all, just a slightly more mature (hopefully), wiser (hopefully), and bigger (surely) version of our childhood selves, right?
I call them imaginary enemies.
I’ve used them my entire life to spark motivation, to give me an edge, to make sure I’m running, running, running.
What Is an Imaginary Enemy?
An imaginary enemy is a person I trick myself into believing is against me.
It could be a real person I know. It could be someone I’ve just heard of. And sometimes, it’s an ephemeral archetype I make up.
Regardless, I think of them and project the single most powerful negative thought I believe a person could have about me: doubt that I will succeed.
That’s it.
An imaginary enemy is a person who I imagine doubts me.
That’s all I need.
How to Use Imaginary Enemies
Now, my version of an imaginary enemy is very personal.
But we can all harness this motivating effect in our own businesses and organizations.
There’s something powerful about a competitor you rally your team around.
When your team has a healthy dose of us versus them coursing through their veins, it does a few things:
1. It brings people together around a common goal of defeating the imaginary enemy.
2. It sharpens what makes you better, because your team is constantly contrasting what you do well against what the competition fails at.
3. It reduces your team’s desire to go work for the competitor. “Who would want to work there?” Coke people don’t want to be Pepsi people, and vice versa.
The Danger of the Imaginary Enemy
The motivating effect of imaginary enemies has to be used with caution. You can take it too far, to a toxic level.
Awareness of your imaginary enemy is powerful. Obsession is harmful.
At the office, us versus them can curdle into disrespecting and bad-mouthing the competition, even wishing them harm. No bueno.
How do you counteract this?
Use the tool with a little levity. Don’t take it too seriously. Make it “spirited competition,” not a fight to the death.
Wrap-Up
Sometimes when I write this newsletter, I imagine a reader thinking, “Man, this guy is NUTS. He over-shares and writes about stuff no one really relates to. He should quit and do something else. No one needs it. I just don’t think he has much to offer.”
Nothing motivates me like thinking of that reader.
See what I did there?
As always, if you’d like to chat about topics like this, I’m here for you: scott@scottmonday.com.
This week's YouTube video walks through a quarterly check-in strategy with my team that has completely changed the way we do performance reviews. Check it out!
Things I've Enjoyed Lately: There’s got to be a few of you out there who are walking cliches like me, and therefore play pickleball. If you are, my newest paddle might be of interest. The Friday Aura Pro is fantastic. Highly recommend. Exceptional bang for the buck. (You can needlessly spend like $350 on a paddle if you want...)