Week 12

What is The Hero's Journey?

This question was asked in class on Tuesday. As I thought about how I could answer it I realized that everyone’s answer would be different. Even though the teacher and book may have defined it, the hero’s journey is something that is personal and unique to each individual. I wrote that the hero’s journey is a lifestyle of entrepreneurship, taking risks to find meaning and bring meaning to your life and the life of others. Every hero is different, every journey filled with different choices and trials. How can you define a hero’s journey when each one for each person is different?

The article we read defined the hero’s journey as something to this effect, a hero’s journey requires you to find your most precious gifts and find a way to use them for something greater then self. I like that way of putting it because that is a unique journey. Every gift it different every need a new one. The hero’s journey is not selfish it is about other people.

This week we talked about Social Conscious Entrepreneurs. People who see a need in the world and fill, these are entrepreneurs but people who see a need that helps people, these are social entrepreneurs. Do you want to solve world hunger? Or change education in America? Do you want to bring fresh water to Africa? These are all social needs that an entrepreneur can address. Where most people get caught up on is the thought of solving a problem, we all want to solve world hunger but that sounds impossible. As an entrepreneur you must replace the word “solve” with “engage” because to engage in world hunger is just to get the ball rolling. It is amazing what people can do when given the chance. Engage, is a here and now action something that we can all do today. Solve, is an impossibly hard and long road. All that must be done is the first step taken, from there we take the next step.

Just Start! For goodness sakes, what is waiting going to solve? Most often waiting makes a problem worse. Do not wait for the rain to clear and the skies to be clear because they rarely are and by the time they do clear the opportunity may have passed you by. I have one more class in my Entrepreneur class and I feel as if I have only brushed the surface of what can be learned about following your dreams and passions. Because that is what it is all about. It’s not about the money, its about finding meaning in life and then turning and giving back when we have the chance. Every person has great potential, they are filled with creativity, they just have to find it and work for it. This class has almost come to a close, but I think what I have learned most is to never give up no matter what, but remember that sometimes it is time to pivot and find a new path to follow. The Hero’s Journey is fraught with dangers and trials but something we all learn from watching the movies is that it isn’t about what is at the end of the journey, its about who is helped along the way.