The Hero's Journey

The developmental process of becoming a leader may be described in terms of the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey begins with separation from the known and common. The hero ventures forth, encounters adventures, is endowed with new powers, and returns to the community to share what s/he has learned while on the journey. What is to be learned? I find four lines from James Autry’s book Life And Work helpful in answering this question. Autry--a business executive, writer, and poet--identifies “Four Important Things in Life and Work:”

Find your people.
Find your place.
Tell your story.
Listen.

These lines capture the essence of the hero’s journey. Find your people. Who is your community? Who are the people you are called to serve? Who is in need of what you have to offer? Find your place. What is your role within your community? How do you fit into the larger whole? Tell your story. What is the message you bring to your community? What is the gift you have to offer your people? How can you best share that gift? Listen. What is the response to your message? Are you having the impact you intended? How are your people’s needs changing? How must you grow so that you may continue to serve your community? The search for answers to these questions is what constitutes the hero’s journey. The answers to these questions are the boon you are to bring back to those you are called to lead.