CHARACTER MOTIVATION THESAURUS

RESTORING ONE'S NAME OR REPUTATION



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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:
Proving one's innocence upon being falsely accused of something
Overcoming a stigma brought on by a relative or ancestor
Proving to others that one has changed (after overcoming an addiction, experiencing a spiritual renewal, recognizing that one was wrong, etc.)
Trying again to succeed after a public failure (in business, in a relationship, in not keeping a promise that was made, etc.)
Proving one's loyalty to a person or group (a gang, the mob, a supplier, one's employer) after it has been questioned

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: If a long-standing black mark mars the family name, a character might be driven to restore that reputation, righting a past wrong, and holding the responsible party accountible for the injustice. In this case, it's more about the vindication and seeing the scales balanced than it is about esteem or recognition (which would be secondary). 
Esteem and Recognition: A character who was falsely maligned (e.g., an unfounded sexual assault accusation) loses their standing immediately with others. They may suffer serious side effects such as isolation, a job loss, and being excluded from activities that were once a big part of their life. The injustice of this would push the character to restore his good reputation.
Love and Belonging: If a character was unable to be with someone they loved because of a bad reputation, they would work to restore it, acting and behaving in a different manner that reveals their true colors and worthiness, even if it takes a long time to achieve.
Safety and Security: Certain false accusations can result in violence, death threats, and destruction of property when people with a vigilante mindset seek to mete out justice. This safety threat would provide sufficient motivation for the character to set the record straight.
Physiological Needs: The desperation of one's life being in jeopardy (either physically or because one cannot find work to meet their needs) would prompt the character to find a way to escape condemnation so they can provide for themselves. 

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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