The Writer's Lens - E36: If We All Know We Are Supposed To Be The Hero, Then Why Aren't We?

We idolize heroes. We emulate them too. But, which is easier to do? Not a trick question - it's the former. 

When it comes to heroes and the heroic deeds we read about, it's easy to sit back and marvel as a bystander might. Yet, something inside all of us tugs at our hearts. We yearn to not only see and pay witness to heroes; we want to be heroes too. 

But, as our lives unfold, we learn how being the hero is no easy feat. As Joseph Campbell points out in his "Hero's Journey", the first test of any great hero tale is when the ordinary character crosses the threshold from the familiar to the unfamiliar. From the known to the unknown. From the predictable to the unpredictable. 

And that's what this episode is all about: moving from what's known to what's unknown. I take a deeper look at why it's so hard for us to be heroes in real life. How we love predictability and how, if we can, we'd prefer to stay with what's comfortable rather than what's uncomfortable but potentially good for us in the long run. Additionally, I share some of my own experiences where I've seen real heroism in action. Namely, from my own parents. 

Oh, and I give a plug for why I consider writing to be heroic in its own right. Because, well, of course writing is heroic in some way, shape, or form...right? 

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