The Hero's Journey Stage One (Explained)
Hello!
I hope you had a great weekend! I did, and I’m looking forward to sharing something with you.
In my last post I explained what the Hero’s Journey was. Here’s a short recap of the main points.
The Hero’s Journey depicts the Monomyth. The Monomyth is the universal myth of humanity. All stories from mythology and religion share the same elements of the Monomyth.
The Hero’s Journey is a Rite of Passage. The hero in a story goes through three phases. A departure from their familiar world, a series of trials, and a return.
Before a child is an adult in a tribal society they must go through a rite of passage. Regardless of culture, all rites of passages include a departure, a series of trials, and a return.
The hero experiences a death and rebirth during the Hero’s Journey. Sometimes it’s a literal death in the stories, and sometimes it’s symbolic. Either way, the hero is reborn as their Heroic Self.
Before the hero departs on their journey there's a Call to Adventure. This is where the hero becomes aware of a coming change, and they're beckoned to leave the known world to go on an adventure.
The Lord of the Rings provides an archetypal Call to Adventure example. Gandalf the wizard warns Frodo of the dangers of the One Ring. He tells Frodo that he’s the only one who can destroy it by throwing it into the fires of Mordor.
Does Frodo jump to his feet and go dashing towards Mordor to save Middle earth?
HECK NO!
If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings you know that Frodo tries to give the ring back to Gandalf!
This is called refusing the Call to Adventure. Nearly all hero’s refuse the call at first. This is because adventures have risks, and it’s much safer to stay home.
Are you like Frodo Baggins?
Are you refusing your own Call to Adventure?
It’s natural to be afraid because we like comfort. We’re drawn to pleasure and safety because that’s what we need to propagate the species. But we don’t grow in our comfort zone. To grow we must leave behind our familiar world.
Just Do It!
Nike’s slogan, Just Do It! is the perfect affirmation for starting an adventure. There’s no easy solution for overcoming fear and apprehension.
You need to Just Do It!
But, before you can jump into action, you need to know where you're going.
Sometimes, knowing what you want is the hardest part of achieving a goal. When you're clear about what you want the path to your reward opens up. It doesn't mean their won't be challenges, but you'll see the end.
These exercises will help you identify your next adventure.
Start a journal. Journaling is critical for working through difficult things. You can discover what you want out of life when you start journaling.
Meditate. It’s impossible to hear anything if your head is filled with thoughts. Calm your mind down by meditating. When you stop thinking, you’ll be able to hear the inner voice speaking to you. I suggest Triangle Breathing if you’re new to meditation. Triangle Breathing relaxes you and calms your mind, and it’s easy to do.
Sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight.
Inhale through your nose for 3 seconds.
Hold your breath for three seconds.
Exhale through your mouth for three seconds.
Repeat
In conclusion, answering the call to adventure is never easy. Hero's are imperfect. They often dramatically refuse the call at first. What makes them hero's though is they eventually answer it. To answer your own call to adventure, you have to hear it, and take the first step. The pain of not pursuing your dream must be greater than what you'll feel from going after it.
My next post will be about the second stage of the Hero's Journey - The Departure.
If you want to learn a system that will multiply your chances of success, then stay tuned. In my next post I'll show you how to depart for your adventure like a true Hero!
⭐⭐If that excites you then UPVOTE and RE-HIVE this post.⭐⭐
Engagement Time:
Here's a question for you to answer in the comments.
What holds people back from doing what they want?
