Living the Hero's Journey
LIVING
THE HERO’S
JOURNEY
Exploring Your Role in
the Action-Adventure
of a Lifetime
WILL CRAIG
Uncover Your Life Path
Touch or click to activate this enchanted map for charting personal growth. You’ll be needing this on your inner journey.
Unroll the Map of Self-Discovery at: willcraig.com
Applause
“An indispensable map of self-discovery for navigating the road less traveled and discovering the hero within.”
~ Jack Canfield, Co-Author of The Success Principles™ and Chicken Soup for the Soul®
“Every now and then a book comes along that takes you places you’ve never been before. Living the Hero’s Journey is one of those books!”
~ Marshall Goldsmith, Author of #1 New York Times bestseller – Triggers
"Will Craig guides you on an exciting inner journey where you discover the hero in you. It’s like an expedition to a mysterious new world with your own personal adventure guide. Become the star of your own movie!"
~ Chérie Carter-Scott, Ph.D. MCC, Mother of Coaching, #1 NYT bestselling author of If Life is a Game, These are the Rules
“If you want a rich, exciting, and adventure-filled life, read this book and become the hero of a life well lived.”
~ Mark Victor Hansen, Co-Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul®
“Not since Joe Campbell has there been such a rich opportunity to cast yourself in the epic role you deserve in life and work!”
~ Mark C. Thompson, New York Times bestselling author, Executive Coach, and advisor to Sir Richard Branson
“Living the Hero’s Journey offers a fresh and fun approach to discovering your true path. It’s entertaining, it’s intelligent, and it’s transformational.”
~ Marci Shimoff, #1 NYT bestselling author, Happy for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul
Contents
Preface
Introduction
PART I - Date With Destiny
1. Lights, Camera, Action!
2. Power of Myth
PART II - Map of Self-Discovery
3. Mapping the Quest
4. Circle of Life
5. Role of a Lifetime
PART III - Hero’s Inner Journey
6. Call to Adventure
7. Meeting the Mentor
8. Leap of Faith
9. Road of Trials
10. The Ordeal
11. Transformation
12. Endowment
13. Life Mastery
14. Lives Well Lived
Next Steps
About the Author
Bibliography
Copyright and Credits
Preface
One Man’s Quest
I t was a promising spring morning at my home in Orlando, Florida, when I woke up ready to rock the world. I had just entered my thirties and was hitting my stride. The grand plan was to retire by the time I reached the big 5-0. And when I say retire, I mean retire “living well.”
It seems like I woke up a few days later (or was it a few decades?) and I was 60 years old. What? All I could think was, When the heck did this happen?
Still half asleep, I stumbled into the bathroom. I flipped on the light, squinted into the mirror, and saw my father squinting back in my refection—scared the crap out of me.
I paused to check out the wrinkles and sun spots I had never seen before. I still couldn't figure out where the time had gone. I didn't feel like the man in the mirror. Inside, I was still in my thirties. Okay, maybe forties. But 60? You gotta be kidding me! There must be some mistake.
So, what happened between that spring morning of possibilities and that scary day in the mirror?
Decades had flown by like I was on autopilot. My daily routine consisted of putting out fires, scrambling to appointments, and taking out the trash. My nice, neat plan was a mess. It was hardly recognizable and much less realistic. Sure, I had reached many of my goals, but so much had changed—including my dreams. Not only had the deadline for the grand plan come and gone, but it wasn’t what I wanted anymore. My expectations for “living well,” and what that meant, were different. It’s not that I wanted more. In fact, I wanted less, but I wanted the less to be better.
I shared my quest with a good friend who told me I was living the “Hero’s Journey.” What? Hero? No, that wasn’t me. I was just a regular guy doing the best I could with what I had. The closest I came to being a hero was when I went to the movies and quietly slipped into the role of the main character.
My friend explained that the Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure for storytelling that pre-dates the Greeks and Romans. The mythological framework has transcended time and cultures. The myths of today are told by Hollywood screenwriters using the Hero’s Journey as a template for developing interesting characters, plots, and impossible situations.
It turns out, I’ve been on the adventure of a lifetime—one man's quest for living well. Coming to appreciate the metaphors in mythology and the magic of the movies helps me envision my path. I’m able to make better sense of the sometimes-confusing map of life while living the Hero’s Journey.
Why Me, Why Now
Why am I writing this book? Because I need to take this journey with you. I want to understand what is happening in my life. I want to acknowledge and appreciate the ongoing tests and trials I face instead of resenting them for being disruptive and inconvenient.
Am I responsible for everything that happens to me? Better yet, am I making my life unfold this way without even realizing it? What can I do to make it better? What needs to happen, right now, for me to author my personal myth—the story of a life well lived?
We’re on this journey together because, as author Richard Bach explains, “We teach best what we most need to learn.” The research and reading, the insights and investigations, are all leading me down a path that is strange and new, yet eerily familiar.
I don’t have all the answers, and this is not a “how to” book. In other words, you’re not going to receive a to-do list on how to live your life. There are no “shoulds” and “musts” here. I only hope to transform some knowledge and information into experience—an experience that enables you to bypass many of the obstacles while developing and honing your own guidance system.
For me, the process is as frustrating as it is exciting. Even as I write this book, I find myself deleting, rewriting, and replacing often. Sometimes entire sections get tossed because—in a fresh light—they seem irrelevant or redundant to what’s already been explored. Still, in the dark, I trip over new discoveries that enlighten the journey. Discoveries like: Life isn’t easy so why am I expecting it to be? And, if I am the hero of my life, I better start acting like it.
I encourage you to combine the passages that resonate with you and what you already know to be true in your heart and soul. Build your knowledge base, as I’m attempting to do, and gain experience that will garner you wisdom. We’re in this together. I am your adventure guide and loyal ally for the entire quest.
Introduction
You Were Born to Flourish
I n an age where people look outward for direction and upward for inspiration, Living the Hero’s Journey provides a time-honored template for looking inward and going deep for the answers we all seek. By using ancient mythology and contemporary storytelling as the bifocals through which to envision our future, we have the opportunity to explore what we have known on a cellular level since the dawn of time: In myth there is magic.
First revealed by mythologist Joseph Campbell, the Hero’s Journey is a ritual of storytelling handed down from generation to generat
ion, taking on new forms and multimedia formats. In fact, the Hero’s Journey is in our genes—good and evil, love and loss, life and death. In this book, we are living that journey on a quest for personal growth and development. We are hardwired for adopting and adapting to the challenges of life, and for deciphering and discovering our destiny. At our best, we are living the Hero’s Journey.
Stow your gear, as we are embarking on an actual Hero’s Journey—not an outbound voyage around the world, but an insightful exploration of the landscape of our inner being. When we charge off on our action-adventure, we will encounter supernatural forces, transform ourselves in a decisive victory, and return home to share the elixir of life.
Not many people have the awareness, much less the courage, to set out on such an ambitious expedition. “If the genuine way was simple and easy,” says author Michael Meade, “no vision would be required, no dream would be needed, and no one’s soul would be truly tested.” True happiness—and maybe more importantly, fulfillment—is experienced not at the end of the journey, but while following our path. If we cannot find joy in the journey, there will be no delight in the destination.
Living the Hero’s Journey is a fresh start with a new perspective—a map of self-discovery for discerning our destiny. Living one’s life through the lens of the Hero’s Journey provides us with a visual representation of our lifelong quest. Envisioning our future becomes tangible and workable. Immersing ourselves in a powerful visual metaphor affords a birds-eye view of the territory between our ears and in our soul.
Be forewarned that the Map of Self-Discovery will seem vaguely familiar yet mysterious and foreign at the same time. Our journey will come with many tests and trials, coupled with our fair share of allies and enemies. We’ll not only meet our demons and dragons but get to name them. Recognizing the dragon that has held us back—the one that breathes fire in our mind—has dominated our subconscious thinking long enough. Naming our dragon (e.g., self-doubt, fear, conformity) is the first step in taking our power back.
There is much to learn and even more to experience. For now, just know this: You were born to flourish. Trust in the fundamental goodness of the universe, as Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, would say. It is all conspiring to support your growth and potential. Rest assured: This will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Your Role
In Greek mythology and folklore, the hero or heroine was considered a demigod. The countryside in Greece abounds with statues and temples exalting scores of heroes like Zeus, Hercules, Prometheus, Odysseus, Jason, and Orpheus, just to name a few. With the passing of time, the moniker came to refer to individuals displaying courage and the will for self-sacrifice. Today, we are all eligible for acts of heroism.
Fanfare for the common man!
The character archetypes we see in modern films are simply contemporary versions of these ancient myths. In the realm of motion pictures, as in life, the hero is the focal point of the story. The hero archetype dominates top-of-mind awareness in the collective social consciousness. Both male and female power icons headline not only feature films but novels, television shows, and video games. Traditional comic-book superheroes like Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Xena each have individual elements to their unique version of the hero/heroine archetype that are easy to attach to and identify with.
Action heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are adventurous—others don’t want any part of being a hero. Some are warriors—others start out as weaklings. Some thrive in family settings—others excel as loners. Heroes are not perfect. They have character flaws, quirks, and imperfections. They have their share of vices, suffer from doubt, and experience fear of failure. In short, they’re just like you and me.
The essence of what makes a hero a hero, however, is the willingness to serve others and to give themselves to the greater good. Similar to the police officer motto, “to protect and serve,” the maxim of the hero is “to serve and sacrifice.”
Your Journey
The full itinerary of the hero’s inner journey is at your fingertips. Each segment is devoted to a distinct stage of the quest. Think of Part I – Date With Destiny as our pre-mission briefing. Part II –Map of Self-Discovery is a navigational aid to get us to our engagement point. Part III – Hero’s Inner Journey is where all the action takes place. Each stage details what to expect and what is expected of you.
Date With Destiny
Part I – Myths, Movies, and Meaning
In preparing for the journey, we look inside ourselves and curiously discover the hero within. As the protagonist in Living the Hero’s Journey, you explore the power of stories and the improbable relationship between myths, movies, and meaning.
The foundation and structure laid out in Part I reveals a larger truth, and a deeper level of choice. Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a predetermined fate but a culmination of how we choose to live our lives. This section helps us discover the hero within and challenges us to truly be the hero of our lives.
Map of Self-Discovery
Part II – The Hero Within
We chart the course by examining the inner self. Ultimately, the answers we all seek are deep within us, and we unconsciously search them out through vicarious immersions in stories of all types.
The meaning of life is personal, subjective, and challenging to pin down. Individually, we all come to terms with this elusive moving target. The absence of meaning and purpose leaves the hero numb and directionless. The Map of Self-Discovery discloses the symbols, metaphors, and rites of passage providing direction and uncovering the ideal path right beneath our feet.
Hero’s Inner Journey
Part III – Know Thyself
With a basic understanding of the storyline, the roles being played, and a quick peek at the map, the hero answers the call to adventure. The journey begins in the “ordinary world,” in the status quo. We seek a treasure only we can discover in a land of both promise and peril.
The hero must leave the past behind and begin a life-changing transformation. After meeting the mentor and receiving the necessary training and gifts, the hero makes a leap of faith into the unknown.
While the risks and rewards are ours alone, this is no solo expedition. Along the path, we meet friends, allies, and enemies, as well as a protective advisor and mentor. Standing at the entrance to the special world is the threshold guardian. Crossing into the field of adventure requires dealing with this sentinel, who represents the limits of our present sphere of being—our life horizon.
The hero steps into the “special world” and onto the road of trials to face tests and transformative confrontations. Without the perils of fate, the hero cannot discover their destiny. Without risk and challenges, there are no rewards and no fulfillment. Slaying dragons, both external and internal, is all in a day’s work for our page-turning adventurer.
The hero’s shadow will be the biggest antagonist to confront on the journey. The shadow forces the hero to face their mortality, which helps clarify one’s role in life and, thus, our impact on the world. The ordeal is a metaphor for the reawakening of the hero. In the process, we discover the treasure of enlightened knowledge and are bestowed with the reward of newfound wisdom.
The hero returns to the ordinary world with the treasure of transformation. Unless the hero returns with the “elixir” acquired from overcoming their ordeal, they are doomed to walk this way again, and again, until their transformation is complete.
A successful return brings a deep healing and wholeness. The endowments bestowed upon the hero are freely shared with the ordinary world. We come full circle to a familiar world through new eyes. The hero recalls their reawakening while living the Hero’s Journey and re-dedicates him- or herself to serve, guide, and give.
We understand we do not become the hero of our life by living vicariously. To achieve life mastery and be worthy of a life well lived, we must take action, ownership,
and responsibility for our choices. Our date with destiny is not about reaching a final destination. It is about how fully we live the journey.
Your Entourage
As with any Hollywood star holding hero stature, you have personal assistants—guides, if you will—traveling with you on each segment of your journey. They carry your moral compass and maintain a proper heading in the direction of your destiny.
While these companions are not official entities of the Hero’s Journey, given the epic nature of the task at hand, I don’t think you’ll mind the company. When I travel around the world, there’s nothing I like more than having a personal guide. On this journey, we have personal guides for each segment.
You’ll learn more about these advisors along the path. For now, here’s a brief introduction:
TRUTH: Be true to your word.
WISDOM: Learn from experience.
COURAGE: Act in spite of fear.
INTEGRITY: Walk your talk.
CHARACTER: Stand true to yourself.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Take responsibility.
GENEROSITY: Give more than you take.
We’re all here to learn the lessons of life while commingling with like souls on similar journeys. It’s not a race to win. It’s not a victory to be sought. The only prize is the one you give yourself: renewal, the final stage of the Hero’s Inner Journey.
The first and most important change you may experience is that of knowing the hero rises from within. No one else can play this role for you. The hero you are now and the hero you become depend on the personal myths you create for yourself. To attain the good fortune of a life well lived, an auspicious inner journey precedes the tumultuous outer journey on which you now find yourself.