CHARACTER MOTIVATION THESAURUS

BEING ACCEPTED BY OTHERS



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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:
Being seen as a valuable asset to one's new team
Finding acceptance as part of a newly blended family (such as a second marriage or live-in situation)
Building a healthy relationship with a loved one's parents (or in-laws if married)
Joining a club or organization that shares one's passion or interest
Coming to a new country to live and making it a home
Trying a new lifestyle and finding one's fit with the existing community (testing out ranching life, moving from the city to a small town, etc.)
Taking the leap and being open about one's identity (a sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, etc.) and find the peace of belonging
Taking a job as a newcomer to an industry and seeking to feel at home in the company
Seeking equality and acceptance as a minority in a location where there's a majority
Finding one's footing when returning to secondary education as an adult
Becoming part of another person's family
Becoming part of a church or religious community
Re-entering society after paying for one's crime by serving a sentence
Being able to move past a very public mistake to make a new start
Replacing someone who was well-loved and respected in their role (as a new teacher, as an understudy for a dancer, as a significant other, etc.)
Getting one's new ideas to take hold, disrupting obsolete or short-sighted practices and ideas in the process (like racism, sexism, superstitions, or even business practices and ways of doing things)
Replacing another as a leader and being effective at it
Making friendships by drawing the respect and admiration of others
Flying under the radar when it is dangerous to stand out

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: The desire to live one's truth in whatever form it comes in, such as wishing to live a life that follows certain spiritual beliefs, or to embrace an identity in full, will be much easier if one can be accepted by others for who one is. 
Esteem and Recognition: Self-worth is often tied to whether a person is accepted or not by their peers. A desire for greater self-worth may push a character to find a place where they belong.
Love and Belonging: A desire to love and be loved in turn may be a motivator to seek acceptance by these very same people.
Safety and Security: In some situations, it can be different to stand out or be different than the crowd. If the character's safety was on the line (because of bias, racism, prejudicial thinking), they would seek to blend in by gaining the acceptance of those that were "safe." 
Physiological Needs: In the case of life or death scenarios where numbers matter, being accepted by a group may be one's only option for survival.

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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