Here's How To Use The 'Hero's Journey Method' To Chart Your Life Path
Superimposing Joseph Campbell's narrative on your life could help you see the superhero in you.
By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | January 4, 2024
The stories we live have a profound impact on the way we view ourselves, the people around us and the world at large. A new paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that living a "Hero's Journey" may be the key to a life filled to the brim with meaning. The best part? You don't need to live an inherently exciting life to be a hero.
Researchers Benjamin Rogers, Michael Christian and Kurt Gray of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, co-authors of the paper, explain how the idea of the Hero's Journey is rooted in ancient tales like those of Beowulf and Gilgamesh and are still prevalent in contemporary pop culture, from the plotlines of Star Wars to the Marvel movies.
The Hero's Journey comprises seven key elements, each of which can apply to your life (with a little bit of conscious effort):
- Protagonist. This is you, the main character of your life.
- Shifts. These are new circumstances that drive your life forward.
- Quests. These are goals that you may be working toward.
- Allies. These are people that support you on your journey.
- Challenges. These include situations or rivals that act as obstacles in the pursuit of your goal.
- Transformation. This is the growth you experience in this pursuit.
- Legacy. This encompasses how you share the fruits of your journey with others.
"We are innately—if not consciously—familiar with the narrative framework that makes up the Hero's Journey. Having a life story that aligns with this framework will make it more coherent, recognizable and compelling because of this cultural resonance," the researchers explain.
To put this to the test, the researchers conducted a series of 14 studies and developed a "re-storying intervention" to investigate the benefit of applying the Hero's Journey framework to our everyday lives. This intervention included reflective writing exercises, aimed at helping individuals identify and integrate the elements of the Hero's Journey into their personal narratives.
The main finding was that the more similar one's personal narrative is to a Hero's Journey, the more meaning in life they experience. This has to do, partly, with why we are fascinated by heroes in the first place. We resonate deeply with heroic protagonists as they exemplify certain characteristics, goals and virtues that are valued in society across cultures and time.
How Can The Average Person Live A Hero's Journey?
Living a Hero's Journey is all about effective storytelling. While one can go through life "as it happens," taking charge of each of the seven elements is what makes a real difference. This has to do with:
- Making a concerted effort to learn about yourself
- Being in control over your reaction to changing circumstances
- Picking your goals
- Deciding who your friends and confidants are
- Responding to challenges in effective ways
- Taking stock of how far you have come since you started
- Helping others achieve their own goals based on what you have learned along the way
As it turns out, this method of grabbing life by the horns doesn't just help those who feel they have lost the plot to their own lives. Even people who already live a meaningful life can benefit from being better storytellers.
"We found that the effects of the intervention did not depend on prior views of life meaning. In other words, it boosted the meaning and well-being of all our participants in the same way," the researchers say.
The researchers suggest that this technique can be used at regular intervals or especially during challenging times. Additionally, individuals can seek out heroic adventures of their own (without trying anything dangerous). They are likely to find that new experiences can create an inspiring shift in perspective, allowing them to undertake their own heroic journey. For instance, one might find that they are an underdog, triumphant against all odds or realize that they are in their "redemption arc."
"The Hero's Journey elements can act as a menu of sorts of ways to experience more life meaning. A side benefit of this will hopefully be an increased comfort in seeing oneself as a hero, since we all do kind, thoughtful and heroic things in our lives that are worth reflecting on," the researchers conclude.
Conclusion
Our personal narratives profoundly influence our resilience and well-being, indicating that there is power in becoming the "main character" in your life story. A Hero's Journey acts as a powerful lens through which we can perceive our lives as epic adventures and unlock a deeper sense of meaning and heroism in our everyday experiences. Remember, you are not merely a passive observer, but the author and protagonist of your story.
A full interview discussing research on the Hero's Journey can be found here: How To Reclaim Your Life With The 'Hero's Journey' Method, According To Research
A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.