All too often we see valiant efforts run off the tracks because someone screwed up. But we’re here to tell you that EVERY hero screws up. Real heroes grow from their blunders, only making them stronger in the long-run. And the best news? You are the hero of your own story…
The Hero’s Journey
According to Wikipedia, The concept of the hero’s journey was introduced by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), who described the basic narrative pattern as follows:
A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.
The Hero’s Journey was first introduced to us at Mark Fisher Fitness’s Motivation & Movement Lab, in February of this year, by Michael Littig. He explained the parallels of the Hero’s Journey to our members’ individual efforts to make progress in the gym.
Call to Adventure
You feel the urge to take control of your life. You’ve got goals, aspirations, and you’re not truly the person standing in front of us today. It’s time for a change.
Refusal of the Call
After a few weeks of going at it on your own, you begin to derail, and there’s a good chance you’ll totally give up right here. This is the first screw up in the hero’s journey, if you allow yourself to view it that way. But the hero doesn’t…
Meeting the Mentor
You make the call and take advantage of the free consultation here at BSP NOVA. There’s a sit-down, you see the path, you’re sure this is the place to bring out the real you.
Crossing the First Threshold
You sign up for three days a week of semi-private personal training, finally receiving the guidance and accountability you need to take you to the next level. You made it! Or so you thought…
Road of Trials
Wikipedia defines the road of trials as:
a series of tests that the person must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the person fails one or more of these tests, which often occur in threes.
Note that word, “fails.” Again, it’s only a failure if you decide to end the story right there. But the hero doesn’t, and you shouldn’t either. Unfortunately, this IS the point where some people walk away. They’re right there, about to take part in the transformation they so desperately longed for when they came in, but something holds them back.
- vacation knocks them out of their routine
- they give in to junk food around the office
- they second-guess whether they really can make this change
- family and friends are not a supportive as they’d hoped
- they say yes to everyone and everything, except themselves
This is the point that separates the successful transformations from the not-so-successful-for-now transformations. Notice we didn’t say the no-so-successful-forever transformations. The road of trials might just be a bit longer for them. We’ll still be here when they are ready… But you, the hero, slays them down, with the guidance of your coaches.
Sacred Battle
The threshold is finally crossed, the failures have been overcome. Those failures have now made you a stronger hero- the hero you’ve actually always been. This doesn’t mean you won’t confront challenges, you’ll just have a history of past victories to look back on and slay dragon after dragon.
Accepting the New Role
There comes a point where you realize that you are not the same person. No, you’re not perfect- but you’ve grown immensely. You see the path now, you see how to keep going, and the process is part of your life. Old temptations will still live around you, but they’re no longer the threat they were before…
Return with the Jewel
It’s time to give back. Not to us, but to others that were once in your shoes. How do you do it? This part is so exciting! We’ve got two coaches here, Jon Hughes and Geoff Smith, whom were members first and traversed the hero’s journey. Eventually they just wouldn’t go home. They wanted to pass the jewel to others. Then we have members who pass the jewel by introducing their friends and family to us. Others go out and get certified themselves and venture out to help more people than we ever could. Whatever it may be, the hero gives back.
Failure is normal…
and it’s not failure at all. If you find yourself screwing up, struggling with change, temptation, frustrations, and other trials, step up to the dragon. You won’t win every battle, but you’ll grow stronger with every interaction you decide to continue forward from.
Ready to embark on your hero’s journey?
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