Becoming the Hero of Your Own Journey Towards Success
It is said that we have the power to make our own success. If this is true we could see ourselves as the hero of our journey towards success. Across many literatures, tales, legends, and myths, the “hero’s journey” is a common structure which tells how a hero proceeds to go to an adventure, meets a series of challenges along the way of which he or she emerges victorious, and then comes home carrying an important realisation or a deep change in self.
This timeless portrayal of a hero helps when one feels at a crossroads in their careers. One’s career is an adventure. We travel through a chosen path which has many obstacles and challenges but hopefully leads us to triumph. How one can apply the stages of a hero’s journey in their career will be discussed in this article.
1. The Ordinary World
The Ordinary World is just an early stage of the hero’s journey. The comfort zone, where they haven’t taken any adventures yet. Most of us start out on jobs that we are not exactly trained or educated for. We take these on because we either need the money to sustain ourselves, or we simply don’t have much choice.
The hero in the journey then comes across a major change in life that causes turmoil or disruption. Thus, they are forced to take up the challenge and resolve the problem, which may mean treading the unknown. The adventures in your career start when you are faced with various threats, such as losing your job due to redundancy, or issues in the company or the economy, incompatibilities with the work culture, or simply feeling you can do more than you are presently.
The hero can decline to take the journey because of fear of facing the unknown. When you attempt to make a transition in your career, may it be moving to a different company or entirely changing the industry you work in, you may feel that you are unprepared to jump. Thus, you may delay in making the change happen.
The hero then comes across a mentor who give wise counsel and key instructions to ease through the difficult and unfamiliar journey. As you cruise through your career, you may find a mentor or a coach that guides you on your work choices or gives advice on resolving any interpersonal relationship issues in your workplace. The guidance helps to prepare you as you progress on your journey.
The hero then starts his or her venture into the unknown. In your career, this is where you have mustered the strength to take on the transition.
2. The Special World
The hero comes up against various trials along their journey. It is important for the hero to recognise the people they can trust or should avoid. In your career, there are also different challenges, such as workplace conflicts or deficit in critical skills. You will need to determine which ones to address or give up.
The hero, armed with the guidance and instructions from its mentor, gets ready to take on the challenge as they venture into the unknown. As you tread into the obscure, you may recall the fears and uncertainty you have felt at the start. But as you go along, you remember your purpose and why you chose this path. This will sustain you to persevere.
In any hero’s journey, the peak of their path highlights them coming face to face with their adversary or foe. The hero fights against the rival with all his or her might. Similarly, in our life, we come across various adversities that can be calamitous and thus, life changing. But we keep on wrestling against with these obstacles by ‘keeping our eyes on the prize’.
The hero becomes a changed person and gets his or her reward. Courageously battling against setbacks and crises will let you arise victorious and ‘refined by fire’. It renders you wiser and sharper coming from your experiences gained throughout the years.
3. The Return
The hero’s journey starts to end as he or she travels back home. By marrying all the changes made with your routine and habits, this process has already started. The challenges you have encountered now serve as valuable lessons to you.
During the journey back home, the hero comes across the last leg of their trials, where he or she comes up triumphantly. Changing careers can still involve internal struggles or external oppositions. These would definitely entail crucial adjustments but rationalising and processing full acceptance to these will be key to moving forward.
The hero has finally arrived home back to the Ordinary World. He or she is a transformed person. The ‘elixir’ or ‘potion’ can refer to the success gained throughout the journey of the career transition. The ‘why’ or the purpose of your existence becomes renewed and fortified and is being used as a ripple effect to help others through their competence and capabilities.
Overall, the hero’s journey is the same with our own life’s adventures. It will not go without its many challenges or obstacles, but being the hero of our own journey, it gives us life’s most valuable lessons and significant wins.
To help you become your own hero in your journey towards success, send MRS V a message today.
