Going the distance
Camille Hilary P. Toledo
Context: Hercules (Disney film, 1997)
We really cannot have it all, can we? Hercules was born a god, but he became mortal. He was born a god, but not an automatic hero. He had to go through challenges in his life in order to prove his worthiness to get back to Olympus.
Just as what Joseph Campbell outlined, Hercules went through those 10 steps as well. These steps are refining moments of a hero. For me, it is also applicable in people's lives (scratch the supernatural parts). In this blog, I will be recounting what Hercules went through along with my experiences related to each stage, too.
Stage 1: The Ordinary World
Hercules was born a god, but he became a mortal. What Campbell stated about being in an "ordinary world," was experienced literally by Hercules.
Where Hercules is an outcast in the ordinary world, a mortal like me calls my ordinary world a "comfort zone" where I'm not challenged by anything. I'm just living, but never really quite achieving.
This phase is important because after a period of time, you'll start to reflect and think that maybe you're bound to be somewhere, to achieve more, or to prove something. We have to be exposed to the ordinary to crave for the extraordinary.
Stage 2: The Call to Adventure
This is where Hercules felt that he needed to be somewhere. Experiencing the ordinary world along with his supernatural strength made him an outcast. Somehow his ordinary world became his comfort zone where he grew up knowing that his parents are mortal. The call for his adventure was knowing about his true existence.
Stage 3: Cross the First Threshold
Now, here comes Hercules' iconic line: "I will go the distance." He is now crossing the first threshold as he learned about his existence. He's out to be a hero, just like what Zeus said to gain back his worthiness to go to Mt. Olympus.
This is the "I will" and "I am going to" moments. When I feel the push to really set down my goals, I write them down and have some sort of a "game plan" to achieve for myself.
Stage 4: Trials, Friends, and Foe
Of course, getting out of the comfort zone and being determined are not the endgame. There will still be trials. Hercules gained Pegasus back, but also he encountered Philoctetes as someone who did not believe in him at first. He was some sort of a "dream-stopper" when Hercules first encountered him.
Stage 5: Magical Mentor or Mentor with Supernatural Aid
Hercules successfully changed Philoctetes mind and there he was trained by Phil in order to be a true hero. In addition, Zeus, who is Hercules' father, was also on his side.
There might be no magical mentor in real life, but we have God. In addition, people who are truly pure-hearted and willing to help me in achieving my goals are considered magical enough.
Stage 6: Dragon's Lair
"When a man seeks safety and comfort—when he demands pampering—it means he's engulfed within the innermost cave" (Jeffrey, n.d.). In this case, Meg was Hercules' Dragon's lair. From the very start, Megara is owned by Hades, but Hercules did not know that she is being used to trick him into his downfall. This is where he have let his guards down and completely trusted Meg as he was in love with her.
Temptations to stop in achieving my goals also hinders me. For example, in my studies, sometimes I prefer the comfort of just reading books and watching movies than studying. I convince myself that I needed rest too, but sometimes I could not distinguish what's the difference between rest and procrastination. This type of mindset is some kind of a psychological challenge for me, as well.
Stage 7: Moment of Despair
Because Hercules was in love, he chose his feelings for Meg over believing what Philoctetes said about her even if it is the truth. In addition, he chose to give up his strength for 24 hours to ensure Meg's safety. In addition, Mt. Olympus was attacked by the Titans and he could not do anything about it because he lost his strength.
Stage 8: Ultimate Treasure
Hercules got his strength back and he defeated the titans and protected Mt. Olympus—something that makes him hero-worthy.
After succeeding with all the trials, in the end you gain something more than your initial goal. In my case, it is when I started working out to lose weight. My initial goal was to lose weight, but I gained something more—discipline, perseverance, and self-love. These things proved to be more valuable than what I initially sought after. Just like in a hero's journey, this is what I call "ultimate treasure."
Stage 9: Homeward Bound
As he achieved beating the titans and proving his best, he is still not a god. In addition, he lost Meg. He did what he could to save her and followed her to the underworld. With his sacrifice and love, he became a god again.
In true life, achieving something is not the endgame. Sometimes there are drawbacks, hesitations, unresolved conflicts, and inner demons that needs to be addressed first in order to fully move forward. There are still times when I still hesitate after coming so far. These fears and hesitations need to be acknowledged and resolved first.
Stage 10: Rebirth and the Champion's return
However, as he went to Mt. Olympus, there was one final ordeal: Meg is a mortal. With this, he chose to be a mortal again to be with Meg. Not only did his mindset changed, but also his heart as he considered Meg to be his new concept of "home."
As one finishes or achieves a goal, the person who started the journey is never the same person who returned. Something in them changed—maybe the way they look, but often the way they perceive the world. This is what we call the rebirth.
To be a hero is to be different. To be successful is to be uncomfortable.
Campbell may have these 10 stages, but in real life, we can also become our own heroes. I can assure that the journey may not be linear. Sometimes we fall twice, or maybe a couple of times and sometimes we take detours. In the end, just like Hercules, we are going to get there. We just need to have the hero-mindset to be willing to go the distance, just like what Hercules did.
Reference:
Jeffrey, S. (n.d.). How to Use the Hero's Journey for Personal Development. CEOsage. Retrieved from: https://scottjeffrey.com/heros-journey-steps/?fbclid=IwAR1k78KW3RyCNWrfXAFjk8NCFFPSnVGW7Mz8GyMLIwZuGYSp0jmBPEH8_Lw
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