Being the hero of your own story

The guy in the above image? That’s me. At least, that’s who I imagine myself to be.

And when we tell ourselves we’re something, we’re going to live up to that ideal.

How often have you daydreamed about who you want to be? How often have you tried to adopt habits to become more of the person you want to be, only to fail those habits a couple of days later?

Yeah, being a hero is not easy.

Being a hero doesn’t only come with superpowers, it also comes with significant sacrifices. But being a hero is within the reach of all of us. As long as we’re willing to make the sacrifices.

This article is about how we can reach our goals.

Almost every human being has similar goals: being smart, fit, healthy, empathetic, happy, etc. But for most people, not every goal is within reach. Because regardless of how much we want to be fit, exercise sure does suck. Periodically, we pick up a ‘fit in 4 weeks’ program but ultimately fail to adopt the habits we so desperately want.

And this is why: we want the rewards without the sacrifices.

Living unhealthily is easier than being fit. Going with our emotions is easier than consistently making the most ethical decisions, no matter the circumstances. Our mind doesn’t like that. It likes going with the most convenient option. What ensues is a battle of will, and that’s a fight we usually lose.

So we must take the choice away.

The guy in the image on top, that’s me. This guy, standing epically in his dark cloak on the cliffs, is a hero. He has all the qualities that a proper hero has: he is strong, he is a force of good, he is smart, etc. Being this person is not a choice. It’s the way things are. The corresponding lifestyle is not a choice either: he is forced by his self-image to be this person.

I would’ve given up on exercise long ago if I had a choice.

But instead, I’m running yet faster personal records by the week. Sometimes I wake up, dreading the moment I’d have to go out for a run, silently suffering as I try to move my legs. But there’s no choice. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, I run. I owe that to the hero I strive to become.

This article presents a fictional ideal. The guy on the cliff is not actually me. I’m significantly more flawed than what he signifies. But I think this “hero narrative”, as I call it, does serve a purpose. It gives me a direction to be the person I want to be.

So, what is your hero narrative? What kind of person do you want to be? What sacrifices are you willing to make to get there?

Maybe you want to be more creative, more compassionate, more confident, or more adventurous. Whatever it is, you can start by imagining yourself as that person and acting as if it’s not a choice but a reality. You might be surprised by how much you can achieve and how much you can grow. Remember, being a hero is not easy, but it’s within the reach of all of us. As long as we’re willing to make the sacrifices.