The Hero’s Journey

A long time ago I first came across the Hero’s Journey when Steven Pressfield mentioned it in one of his essays. The HJ is an old device that is present in many of the heroic myths of our forebears and is still used by many writers.

The basic theme is the path a hero, who begins as an unassuming individual, is called through a process that tests/challenges his/her character, usually to the point of not knowing whether the individual can deal with the test. If the tests are passed, then the hero returns to save family, tribe, country, or world.

The theme works because it resonates so well. I sometimes think each of us is on a Hero’s Journey as we pass through this life. We move forward, facing the challenges placed before us, not knowing whether we will emerge on the other side damaged, intact, or grown.

I recently came upon another description of the Hero’s Journey through a podcast on Stitcher. The interweaving of the story line with bits and pieces of stories from real heroes fascinated me to the point that I shared the episode with a friend and now here.

Enjoy the podcast and consider your own Hero’s Journey. It takes courage to do the right thing. It takes courage to face one’s wrongs and mistakes and then to pick up and move forward to the next challenge with the will to pass the next challenge. It takes courage to live a life worth living.

I really believe we each are on our own Hero’s Journey.