Lets start the conversation off right and look at the bigger picture. No matter where you stand in your life, there is always somewhere else your moving towards. Hopefully your moving in a direction by design, but if not, your still moving. The reality is, you’re either moving towards your goals, or drifting away from them. As we grow older, this drift can grow stronger for many, pulling them further and further away from where they envisioned their life going during childhood. In fact, most of us fantasized being hero’s in our lives, and persevering through life’s obstacles. Standing up for what is right and being a shiny example for others. However life’s obstacles proved to be a little more difficult then we had anticipated, and the persevering hero inside us has strayed from his heroic path.
The only thing that’s certain is change
This age old desire to be the hero in our lives and overcome the obstacles presented to us and come out on top is commonly referred to as the hero’s journey. It is the storyline for almost every movie, book, play and story ever told. A potential hero moves through stages of uncomfort, until they return to where they started as a hero of their own destiny. Directors have made this the backbone of almost every movie ever told because it so closely relates to the subconscious journey we all want to take in our own lives.
The hero’s journey is a great road map for all of us as we move throughout our own lives. There are multiple points in our lives where we will be called to do something that will have desirable results, but will take some bravery and action on our part. As an analogy, this can be one of the most useful visuals for us to be mindful of when dealing with our own obstacles, and others obstacles.
Call to adventure
The Hero’s Journey always starts with a call to adventure. In which the hero is called to action by some force or mechanism. A temptation to follow something that may result in something desirable. For example, if you want to make more money for your family, you may be called to adventure to take on a new job or pursue some sort of opportunity. In your mind the desire for what you want, out-weighs the potential obstacles you may face upon your journey. Similarly in movies where the hero is called to adventure to help someone, to save the universe, or for some other noble cause.
The unknown
The unknown is probably the biggest menace the hero faces during the journey, by stepping into the realm of unfamiliarity and uncomfort, the hero has to become comfortable with the unknown. The unknown typically becomes more manageable with the assistance of a helper, and mentor. This can be witnessed in movies, where the hero is usually joined by some sort of mentor or mentors as he/she begins their adventure into the unknown.
Knowing this, it is important to recognize the subconscious fear we have of the unknown regardless of how fearful we really should be. Anything unfamiliar typically invokes a lot of fear and doubt in ourselves, but this can be managed with the assistance of a mentor or helper.
When asking others to step into the unknown it is important to be that helping hand for them. Others will respond greatly to you, if you simply join them in the journey into the unknown. In that same sense, as you you venture into the unknown, be open to helpers and mentors that can assist you in your travels through the unknown.
Abyss
As our hero journey’s through the unknown there comes about many challenges and temptations that the hero has to overcome. Thankfully though the hero has mentors and helpers who can help during these tough times. Eventually though the hero finds themselves in a what is referred to as the abyss/rebirth. A point in which the hero has journeyed so far into the unknown that they reach the abyss, at which point the old version of themselves dies, and a new version is born. You have witnessed this in movies, shows, and probably yourself at times, when you have immersed yourself so deeply in something new that you are a new version of who you were. Perhaps you ventured into the unknown with fitness before, and you pushed yourself so hard, and become so healthy that you don’t even know how you tolerated being unhealthy before. Or maybe you pushed yourself so hard at work and became so proficient in your job, that you don’t know hot it ever intimidated you before.
Return
The final stage in the Journey is the return, a point in which the hero has persevered through the unknown until the unknown is now the known and return back to where it all started with a new perspective of the unknown. This processes is how we become further developed versions of ourselves and we grow as humans.
Conclusion
Throughout your life you will encounter countless run-ins with the hero’s journey both personally and with others. Their is nothing more powerful to your self-development than journeying through the unknown and returning a hero. You will encounter the hero’s journey in almost every aspect of your life. Whether its with your spouse, your kids, your career, your health, and much more. The fear of the unknown may intimidate you, but just know every time you take the call to adventure, you personally grow, and become a greater version of yourself. There is nothing on the other side of the unknown that you cannot handle, you just will have to adapt new skills and tendencies to overcome it. As we develop further on our page, we hope that you step into the unknown with us, and push yourself to new heights.
HERE IS YOUR CALL TO ADVENTURE…Let us be your helpers as you venture into the unknown.