You are Surrounded by Heroes

Heroes surround all of us. All of us have walked a hero's journey.

Joseph Campbell first described the Hero's Journey, recognizing it as the basic blueprint for all stories, including the one we live in our own life. (And in this article, I'll acknowledge three of my own heroes).

There are basically three stages to the Hero's Journey. The first is the Departure. It is when the hero first hears the call to adventure - the first hint that something is going to change. Often the call is initially refused - the notion of leaving the safety of what is known is too scary to contemplate. But the call persists, and eventually the hero - often with the help of a Mentor - accepts the call and crosses the threshold into this new and special world to begin the journey.

I've started to recognize when I get "the call". Whether it's a new idea for a product, starting a new project with a client, or talking about what we want to do with our lives with my wife, I get a little rush of excitement in my chest. I sit up and lean forward. I often get up and walk around, because I'm feeling both nervous and excited. If it's a BIG call to a BIG adventure, my right leg starts to jiggle - driving everyone crazy! (What signs do you recognize in your own body, when you get a call to adventure?)

A hero in the world:
Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty International. Benenson died this year. He founded Amnesty in 1961 with the objective of rendering the darkness of the political prisoner's cell more visible to public challenge. Sixteen years later, Amnesty was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and has a worldwide membership of 1.8 million.

The second stage of the Hero's Journey is the adventure itself. On the road to the goal, they will face tests and enemies, and will conquer them with the help of allies. The allies may show up as a "sidekick" or they may show up as a team. The hero may stumble and fall and victory may (more than once) be snatched from their grasp. But slowly and surely the Hero learns the ways of this new world, and comes closer to their goal. The Hero faces the final ordeal - the nemesis - and conquers it. The Quest is won!

Heroes from the people I know:
Any number of the people with whom I've worked this year, who've taken a stand for something, gone to the edges of their own skills and courage, who've taken a risk. For some it has been accepting a new role within their work, for some the transition to a new job or even starting a new business. All of them have been heroes.

This is the stage I love - the rush to overcome hurdles, find possibilities, and generate solutions. It's also the place I sometimes get lost. If I haven't fully defined my goal - why exactly AM I doing this? - it becomes a place of frantic busy-ness, exhaustion, and endless striving. As for my nemesis, the one I bump into most often is me, and in particular of the 'would someone show up and rescue me, please because I don't want to do this any more' variety.

The final stage of the Hero's Journey is the journey back. Again, there will be challenges to overcome, enemies to face, allies to call upon for help. Crossing the threshold back to the 'real world' can be tricky - will the Hero be able to bring back the newfound wisdom and experience and share it? But it is often in this final stage that the real transformation occurs.

For anyone like me - a better starter than finisher - this part of the journey can be particularly tricky. It's also crucial. This part of the journey is often about 'bedding in' the changes made from the first stages. This is where you reinforce the change in behaviour, the change in perspective, the change in role that you fought so hard to gain. These obstacles can feel more mundane - but here also lies the process that transforms new gains to everyday habits. This is the connection to 'the real world.'

One of the heroes within my family:
My brother Gus and his family have just returned from his second stint at teaching within an aboriginal community in the far north of Australia. Ngkurr is like many aboriginal communities around the world, trying to find the best way forward in a way that acknowledges their traditions and the pressures of modern day life. Gus & Jane's willingness to be active in the search for the solution, rather than just on-lookers, make them heroes to me.

SOMETHING TO PRACTICE

What's your hero's journey?

• You are the Hero. So what's your journey? What challenges are you facing right now?
• What is your goal? What are you seeking?
• Who is your nemesis? Who or what must you overcome for success?
• Who is your Mentor? Who are your allies you can call upon for help?
• Where are you in your journey? What do you need for the journey to continue?

Who are your heroes?

• How can you celebrate them?
• What does that tell you about your own values? And about what is important to you?
• If you were to act like one of your heroes, what would you do?

How are your friends 'superheroes'?

• How are they most marvellous?
• What are their special gifts?