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All epic stories involve a hero who faces great adversity to come out the other side of conflict and save the day. The Hero’s Journey is a story-telling method whereby the hero faces their fear…and a lot of obstacles… to develop bravery and persevere. In doing so, they morph from scared to brave and transcend the circumstances to be more than they ever thought they could be and do more than they ever believed possible. Does the hero experience fear? You bet! But the hero makes a firm decision to face their fear and move through it for a greater good.

In the same way, everyday heroes face fear and do mighty things that you or I may not think possible. First responders assist people going through some of their worst times and they must set aside their fear to save lives. Military personnel often times face grave circumstances in order to keep or restore peace. Neither profession is absent from fear. As a matter of fact, the intensity and frequency of fear may be more than the average person experiences in their lifetime. 

How is it that heroes make bravery look easy? Is there something magical about the way they experience the world that makes them more bulletproof? 

Every hero goes through a process that refines them and helps them make bold choices to act outside of their comfort zone and do brave things. Sometimes the process is conscious and on purpose – pushing through fear to get the job done. Sometimes the process is unconscious – taking bold action when there’s no alternative. Both steps develop bravery which might look effortless to an outsider but truly reflects the hard work the hero has done to face whatever challenges are in front of them.

Heroes in and of themselves aren’t bulletproof. Their actions and their experiences make them appear that way. Doing hard things and recognizing that stepping up to the plate makes a positive difference helps make and keep the commitment to being brave.

You are a hero in the making. Whether your life’s work requires you to be brave on a daily basis or you are facing circumstances that are pushing you out of your comfort zone, you’re no different than the heroes you admire. You can do hard things and become bulletproof too. You can experience fear and take steps to push through and come out the other side of conflict and save the day.