Most of us known Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a Hollywood action superstar, but not everyone knows how he first made a name for himself.
Back when he was a performing wrestler with the World Wrestling Entertainment, he did one thing that set him apart from others: he referred to himself in the third person.
Sentences like “The Rock is back,” or “If you smell what The Rock is cooking?” sound weird, but they legitimised his character. And the crowds loved it. They loved his confidence.
What’s the bigger lesson here?
I’ve got a number of friends who’ve started their own projects, like a band or a business. And It makes me smile when they stop referring to their project as their “side hustle” or “hobby,” and call it by its name.
When we give something a name, and begin to call it by that name, magic happens.