Here’s how I understand how to uncover your MC’s misbelief: a) What is your message? What is it you want to scream from the rooftops, to tell the world? That is your theme. Flip it to its opposite. THAT is the misbelief. I personally don’t see a problem with the ‘why’ changing throughout the story. If your character is learning and growing and going through new and varied experiences, I think the why should change. Maybe s/he goes from “I’ll show them,” to “I’m doing this for me,” where “they” don’t matter anymore. — Hope this helps.

Wow. Mindblowing post, Lisa. Thanks for the insight.
Did your course on Lynda and recommended it to everyone I know. I cannot find my misbelief for my protagonist. I’m digging, but nothing is coming up (LOL).
So many questions, re misbelief & why. Wanted to ask if you’ve done this type of analysis on a book everyone knows. I’d for example really appreciate solid extrapolation of the What, the why, the how and the Misbelief on books like Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone, the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and maybe Romeo & Juliet or Moby Dick. I’d love to see the Story Genius applied to a book from A to Z.
Also, can the why change throughout the protagonist’s journey? Huge thanks

I think a good example of misbelief in fiction is Ned Stark in ‘A Game of Thrones,’ (the book version.) His misbelief – the one that eventually gets him beheaded – is that everyone would rather take the noble, honourable path in life, and, as long as you give them the chance to do that, they’ll always make the ‘right’ choice in the end.
Just because HE believes that duty should always come first – and especially when it comes to ruling a kingdom – he assumes everyone else thinks that way too. Even when he doesn’t particularly like a person, he still clings to his misbelief that there’s still good in them somewhere, and all they need is the chance to prove it to the world.
It’s why he continues to trust Littlefinger, even when he knows the guy is still sore that catelyn chose Ned over him all those years ago. it’s why he gives Cersei the opportunity to step down voluntarily from the throne BEFORE he reveals publicly that Joffrey is the product of incest and not the late king Robert’s child at all. And it’s why he continues with his plan to reveal the truth about Joffrey’s parentage even after realising that this secret being uncovered was probably why the previous Hand of the King before him was murdered.

I think her misbelief goes back even further than that, and it’s tied to her mother’s depression after her father dies – she doesn’t believe she can do anything to change their situation, that all she can do is survive.

Katniss’ misbelief is that she is not strong enough to win the Hunger Games, but after Rue dies she realizes that she needs to fight back. She does, and she wins.

Terminology might also be misleading or confusing in that [main] characters may have a negative character arc, rather than a positive one, and can still be the protagonist. Yes?

Hey, Elizabeth. Thanks for your comment. My opinion is that that may be Katniss’ [mis]belief of herself as the story (through the series) progresses, but I believe that taking the first book as a stand alone, she doesn’t see herself as any kind of “leader,” nor do I think she set out to be one. In the original Games, Katniss was a flat arc character; those around her believed the Lie, and her role as a flat arc character was to show them the Truth.