One of the most common themes in folklore and fairy tales in the story of the Hero’s Journey. It’s also a theme we can see echoed in our own lives. Many of the big moments and decisions in life can be compared to the Hero’s Journey. After all, we’re each the hero of our own lives.
- The Ordinary World
This is the beginning of the adventure. It’s where the hero (you) lives before the journey begins, with no idea of the challenges ahead of them. For you, this could look like your everyday life, before the big moment or decision that’s going to set everything off for you.
- Call to Adventure
The hero is given the call that disrupts the ordinary world for them. It’s the invitation to the adventure. In your life, this could be the decision that you have to make. Will you take the job or go back to school? Will you move for your partner or have a kid? It could look like anything that will shake up your ordinary life.
- Refusal of the Call
In most cases, the hero doesn’t want to leave their comfort zone and try to refuse to answer the call. At the very least, there’s usually hesitation. With you as the hero, this could look like wanting to stay exactly where you are and not making a decision at all (even though we all know that refusing to make a decision is still a decision, right?). Where you are is comfortable, and you know what to expect. It’s intimidating to change that and take the first step out your front door, so to speak.
- Meeting the Mentor
The story continues with the hero meeting a mentor or guide that will give them training or knowledge that prepares them for the journey ahead. For you, this can be asking for thoughts and opinions from trusted people and gathering information to examine the pros and cons of the decision you need to make.
- Crossing the Threshold
This is when the hero commits and goes on the adventure. They leave their ordinary world behind and step into the unknown. In your case, this might look like making your decision and moving forward with it. Applying for school, taking the job, start trying for a child, deciding to move.
- Tests, Allies, and Enemies
The hero will face challenges and meet allies and enemies on their journey. These challenges will test their resilience and abilities. Stories aren’t any fun without conflict, right? Hate to break it to you, but your story isn’t any fun without some challenges, either. You’ll encounter challenges as you move toward your decision, especially if it’s a big decision that completely changes your life.
- Approach to the Inmost Cave
As the hero gets closer to the biggest challenge, they usually have to face their deepest fears or weaknesses. They might even want to give up. You might feel the same along the way. But it’s not time to give up! Facing your fears and weaknesses makes you stronger in the long run, even if it’s not fun in the moment. Hang tough and keep working to make your life better.
- Ordeal
This is the climax of the story. The hero confronts the biggest challenge, maybe even life-or-death, and they have to overcome it in order to succeed. The odds are good that you won’t have to face a life-or-death challenge, but it might feel like it in the moment. Maybe it’s a challenge at work, maybe it’s a final exam or big paper that will get you to graduation. But in order to succeed, you have to overcome this huge challenge.
- Reward
After the big ordeal, the hero gets a reward or something valuable, whether that’s something tangible or knowledge or power. This is when you succeed and get your own reward. You get a promotion, you graduate, you reunite in your new town with your partner, you have a baby. It’s what you’ve been fighting for all along.
- Road Back
The hero starts the journey back. Sometimes, they even face new, smaller challenges or setbacks as they go. In your case, this might look like getting more settled in your new life and journeying back to comfort. You might still run into setbacks, but they’re probably challenges that you feel more equipped to face.
- Resurrection
This is the final test. The hero comes through it even stronger and wiser than before. Now, they are finally ready to return to their ordinary world. You may or may not encounter this step in your journey. You’ve faced your big challenge, and you might not have a final test. But you might.
- Return with the Elixir
The last step in the journey! This is when the hero comes back to their ordinary world with the experiences and knowledge they acquired along the way. For you, this is when you don’t feel so chaotic in your new life. It’s more comfortable, and you know how to deal with challenges that might come along. It’s your new comfort zone.
In theory, you’ll then repeat the entire thing over again, every time you make a big decision that will change your life and improve your world. But it doesn’t have to be constant. Allow yourself to enjoy your ordinary world. Just try not to get too stagnant. We need change in order to grow and learn.
When have you been on a hero’s journey? What did you learn? Or, what was the elixir you brought back?