Living the Hero's Journey

by Will Craig

  The mentor’s prime objective is to impart to the apprentice life lessons and life-shaping knowledge. The more options provided, the wiser a decision can be made by the one who lives with the consequences. Mentors have the awareness, know-how, and battlefield experience that would take a newbie years to gain, understand, and appreciate.

  Mentors acknowledge what the apprentice desires and what they actually need. They have reflected on their successes and failures while on their journey. Mentors respect where the apprentice is on the path and why they need to be there. “If I knew then what I know now” moments are freely shared by the wise master and shrewdly accepted by a grateful protégé.

  If commitment and competence are proven, the mentor may reward the hero with an essential “gift.” The gift could be a treasure map, an antidote to the poison, a key to the vault, or some special magic needed for a successful quest. In many mythological stories, the hero is often required to pass a test to earn the gift.

  After proving his abilities to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker receives his father’s lightsaber. Harry Potter gets past Fluffy, the three-headed guard dog, using a flute carved by Hagrid, his friend, protector, and a special type of mentor. The more traditional mentor in the Harry Potter series is Dumbledore. In the Lord of the Rings saga, this wise old man is Gandalf. Hitting the gift jackpot was Cinderella, who received a complete makeover. The fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, and the poor girl’s rags into a beautiful gown. And let’s not forget the all-important glass slippers. If it were not for her godmother, Cinderella would not have snagged her prince.

  In The Matrix, Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) gives Neo (Keanu Reeves) a choice between a red pill and a blue pill. The red pill enables Neo to live in the real world. The blue pill allows him to remain in the Matrix to live and believe as he wishes. Ultimately, Neo chooses the pill that endows him with courage.

  In Dead Poets Society, teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) dispenses to his students the timeless words of Horace, the leading Roman poet during the time of Augustus. Keating delights in sharing, “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”

  I had the opportunity to work with Tim Hill for about five years when he was the Director of Youth Markets at Walt Disney World. A goal of WDW is to exceed guest expectations. For Tim, it was a way of life. Exceeding expectations is who he is. I have no doubt this is who he was before he came to work for the Mouse, hence the attraction.

  Tim’s gift to me was as a role model. I doubt he’d ever believe he served as a mentor but he was exactly who and what I needed at that time in my life.

  On the outside, Disney makes Herculean achievements look effortless. Behind the scenes, there’s a company-wide obsession for undeniable quality and attention to detail, all sprinkled with a handful of pixie dust.

  Tim’s mentorship in what it takes to be the best became a meaningful piece of who I am today. Good mentors possess the magic to influence their apprentices in ways that are unexpected and with results that last a lifetime. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

  Mentors are a legitimate shortcut to the destination you desire. They offer “insider trading” that is not only legal but fully embraced by business executives, artists, politicians, athletes, and successful individuals of all types.

  Ironically, not many people seek the advantage of a wise master. Since we are at the beginning of this journey, you should know that this is the only shortcut offered. You might as well take it. It’s the only one you will get on this date with destiny.

  When do you meet your mentor? Just like with students and teachers—when the hero is ready, the mentor appears.

  Coaches, Mentors,

  Teachers, and Guides

  In easily one of the most confusing times of her life, Dorothy’s spinning house lands abruptly in the wonderful land of Oz. Her mentor, Glinda the Good Witch, magically appears at just the right moment with timely advice and a sparkling gift for her shoe closet.

  Have you ever wondered why Glinda the Good Witch doesn’t just give Dorothy the ruby slippers and have her click her heels to get back home?

  For one, it would be a really short film. Second, Dorothy would not have learned a crucial life lesson that mentors are famous for providing: What you seek is already inside you.

  During my tenure as the dean of Coach Training Alliance, we taught life coaches how to help clients find answers to their burning questions. Knowing where the answers are is easy. Finding them and digging them out is where the coach earns their fee.

  You see, the coach doesn’t have direct access to answers the client seeks. This is a dilemma, especially since the client is paying the coach for results. But coaches and mentors know the answers sought are within the client.

  A coach helps extract the hidden code that has been within reach the entire time. It’s unlikely that they’d be able to find and decrypt it on their own. A coach serves as an inner tour guide to the rugged terrain and unpredictable landscape of the subconscious—a cryptographer with a megaphone.

  Of all the coaches, guides, teachers, and assistants on the Hero’s Journey, the Mentor is my favorite. This is like having a technology geek in your ear telling you which way to turn, what corridor to run down, and when the bad guys will be coming around the corner. I could be a superhero, too, if I had that kind of advice streaming into my head in real time.

  Well, you do—and “mentor” is the name. The essence of the mentor can embody itself in forms other than human. Whether it’s an actual individual offering to take you under their wing, or a guardian angel on your shoulder commenting on what’s ethical and what’s not, you have the insights and advice you need to move forward.

  The hero’s conscience plays a pivotal mentor role if the hero has strayed from the appropriate or honorable path. Mentor is the wiser and nobler inner voice teaching us right from wrong. This form of the powerful archetype is representative of the most enlightened qualities present in our higher self.

  Don’t underestimate the little voice in your head. Sure it’s great to have an Athena or Morpheus guiding you through the Matrix of life, but that little voice is right more often than it’s wrong.

  Been There, Done That

  Deep down, Will Hunting (who looks a lot like Matt Damon), needs to leave his small ordinary world and allow his potential (and relationships) to soar in the larger special world. Will’s mentor in Good Will Hunting is psychologist Sean Maguire, played by the masterful Robin Williams (in the role of the mentor, once again). Maguire guides the angry and resistant hero in breaking down the barriers holding him back from hearing his inner voice—the voice that knows exactly what needs to happen.

  As Maguire assures Will, “You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”

  Mentors and coaches are valuable because, most often, they have been where you are, learned the hard lessons, and can now steer you on a better path. A good mentor doesn’t need to be a wise old sage like Gandalf or Dumbledore; they just need to be a little bit further down the path than you are. It is said that the best teachers are those who have just learned what you need to know.

  It wasn’t that long ago that they were where you are now. Coaches and mentors know what questions you have, and they appreciate the obstacles you face. Experience has taught them hard-won lessons that they are anxious to share with you, minus the “hard-won” part.

  To return victorious from the ordeal, the hero needs to become both physically and mentally stronger. Hard work and rigorous training are the hallmarks of many a great mentor. Ex-fighter and boxing trainer Mickey Goldmill pushes ambitious amateur Rocky Balboa to the limits. In a line adapted directly from the playbook of Zeus on Mount Olympus, Mickey tells Rocky, “You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!”

  “Much Wisdom, He Has”

  No discussion on the mentor role would be complete without acknowledging the most well-known ment
or in the galaxy, Yoda. Our syntax-challenged little friend offers many words of wisdom, he does. Those words may not come in a familiar order, but they are powerful, nonetheless.

  Even though Yoda is small, balding, has big ears, and talks funny, he commands tremendous respect and admiration. The way Yoda speaks forces us to pay attention and heed his advice.

  “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

  When forced to give extra thought to the concept, our brains must reorder the words and reprocess the information. In less time than it takes you to read this sentence, your intelligence droid deduces that if you eliminate the word try, then you simply make up your mind to either do something or not. The mentor’s point is made.

  The linguistic challenge we face also has the side benefit of integrating a fundamental concept of pedagogy: repetition. As we listen to Yoda, we subconsciously customize the intention of what he says, so it makes more sense to us. By the time we’re done processing this, the mentor’s point is made several times over. Our active participation in the learning process increases our comprehension and retention exponentially.

  The teachings and guidance given by the philosophers and mentors of the day weren’t much different in ancient Greece from what they are today. Topics included health and diet, contemplation and meditation, and spirituality. Socrates characterized himself as “a midwife assisting the labor of the mind in bringing knowledge and wisdom to birth.”

  For those who have been mentored, mentorship becomes a tradition and honor. Socrates was Plato's teacher and inspiration. Plato taught Aristotle at the Academy for 20 years. Aristotle tutored Alexander the Great until the young king turned 16. The “disciples” of these Greek philosophers fanned out across the Roman Empire in an effort to enhance the lives of others and to “pay it forward.” Think of it as life coaching in another era.

  Incidentally, Alexander was great at creating one of the largest empires of the ancient world. Would he have been able to do this without the aid and influence of his mentor, Aristotle?

  Mentoring is an age-old practice providing time-saving—and possibly life-saving—alternative routes on the path to destiny. The legacy that has cut a swath through time continues: Bach mentored Mozart, who mentored Beethoven. Renowned actor Laurence Olivier mentored Anthony Hopkins. Film director Martin Scorsese mentored Oliver Stone. Five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx mentored Lance Armstrong. Music producer Dr. Dre mentored Eminem.

  It’s not necessary to be mentored by someone in a similar role or profession, but these relationships are most easily recognized. In fact, the mentor doesn’t even need to be alive to strongly influence the hero and greatly impact the world.

  Toga Party

  Hollywood is fond of creating mentor characters that audiences can easily define. Many end up wearing the obligatory robe presumably handed down from Greek philosophers. In the ordinary world, don’t expect your choice of mentors to be wearing long, flowing, hooded robes (although that does sound cool). Hollywood has the market cornered on this wardrobe.

  In real life, the movie and television business is rich with mentor/protégé relationships: Audrey Hepburn mentored Elizabeth Taylor. Gary Cooper mentored Kirk Douglas, who then mentored his son, Michael. Barbara Walters mentored Oprah Winfrey. In an interview, Winfrey told Walters, “Had there not been you, there never would have been me.”

  The list and the apprenticeships continue, and not just in the film and entertainment business.

  Founding Father George Mason was a mentor to Thomas Jefferson. Ralph Waldo Emerson mentored fellow writer Henry David Thoreau. American economist and professional investor Benjamin Graham mentored Warren Buffet, who went on to mentor Bill Gates. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin mentored Marissa Mayer, who went on to become CEO of Yahoo!. Semiconductor pioneer Andy Grove mentored Steve Jobs, who then mentored Mark Zuckerberg.

  Do you see a pattern here? Highly successful people recognize they didn’t make it to the top by themselves. They mentor promising young apprentices who attain their own level of success, in their own way. Those new masters go on to mentor other promising young apprentices. Doesn’t it make you want to step in line and pick out a great mentor?

  In all walks of life, there are mentor/apprentice, mentor/protégé, and coach/client relationships. These respected relationships are quickening the learning curve, bypassing game-changing obstacles, and revealing the shortest distance from where you are now to where you want to be.

  If you believe having a coach or mentor is just for the big shots, think again. Hundreds of thousands of people participate in this time-honored tradition. Most likely, you’re looking up to some of them without even realizing the totally accessible edge they possess.

  Everyone suffers through tough times, endures distressing childhoods, and encounters formidable obstacles throughout their life. (Did you really think you had the market cornered on this?) No matter where you’ve come from or where you are right now, you can also enjoy the gifts and good fortune of coaching and mentoring.

  Indra Nooyi credits mentoring for helping her break glass ceilings in her career. Born in Chennai, India, in 1955, Nooyi now directs PepsiCo’s global strategy and is consistently ranked among the World’s Most Powerful Women. What a Hero’s Journey it must have been for her—from growing up as a little girl in India to becoming the chairperson and CEO of the second-largest food and beverage business in the world, a position she’s held for more than a decade. “Coaches or mentors are very important,” says Nooyi, “If I hadn’t had mentors, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m a product of great mentoring . . . great coaching.”

  Who is your coach? Who do you look to as a mentor? Nobody successfully navigates the Hero’s Journey by themselves. Do you think the people mentioned above just got lucky in their success, or did they have help?

  Wait, I get it. You’ve been a loner/outcast all your life. This kind of relationship doesn’t sound like it’s going to work for you. Guess what? There’s a successful loner/outcast mentor who has been where you are and felt the same way you feel now. Wouldn’t it be incredible to have a conversation with them?

  A good coach or mentor helps guide you to your purpose and the meaning that brings to your life. Heady stuff, for sure, but without this self-knowledge, you won’t have much of a lead character in the story of your life.

  Find yourself a coach or mentor (toga optional). Become the apprentice of your best life. When push comes to shove, and you’re all by yourself, listen to your inner coach, a voice that is always with you and knows what you want and what’s best for you.

  One doesn’t become a hero overnight. Becoming the hero of your life requires an apprenticeship in the art and science of self-discovery. Step up and lean into your place in line. As an apprentice, you’ll enjoy a major shortcut to the life you desire. Your turn as mentor to someone else on their own Hero’s Journey will be even more rewarding.

  Exploring Your Role

  Mentors provide a legitimate shortcut to the destination you desire. They have the awareness, know-how, and experience embraced by successful individuals of all types.

   When the hero is ready, the mentor appears.

   Mentors impart life-shaping knowledge.

   Learn from experience—preferably someone else’s.

   Having a coach or mentor is not just for the big shots.

   Mentoring is a “pay it forward” activity.

  If you are ready for your mentor and one has not appeared, look closer. Seek them out. Connecting with a mentor is your job, not theirs. Not sure where to start? Hire a coach.

  It will be great to finally get some professional help (like your friends are always telling you). Help and guidance that is beneficial and all about you!

  Even if you don’t have the benefit of a personal coach or mentor, pay attention to your inner dialogue. It’s trying desperately to tell you something, and frankly, no one else is listening.

  Following your heart, your bliss, and you
r dreams doesn’t have to be needlessly complicated, demanding, or painful. A good coach or mentor will have you negotiating your destiny from a position of power.

  In the words of a master mentor, “Nothing more will I teach you today.”

  Self-Discovery

  When you were growing up, who did you look to for guidance and direction?

  Are there others who acted—directly or indirectly—as your teacher or coach?

  How would your life be different had you never met these individuals?

  How could your life be different now if you did have a coach or mentor?

  CHAPTER 8

  Leap of Faith

  It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~ E.E. Cummings

  Butch: We’ll jump!

  The raging stream below is fifty feet down and moving fast.

  Sundance: Like hell we will.

  Butch: No, it’ll be okay—if the water's deep enough and we don’t get squished—they’ll never follow us.

  Sundance: How do you know?

  Butch: Would you make a jump like that if you didn’t have to?

  Sundance: I have to and I’m not gonna.

  Butch: Well, we got to otherwise we’re dead. They’re just gonna have to go back down the way they come.

  Sundance: Just one clear shot that’s all I want.

  Butch: Come on.

  Sundance: No

  Butch: We got to.

  Sundance: Nope. Get away from me.

  Butch: Why?

  Sundance: I wanna fight ’em.

  Butch: They’ll kill us.

  Sundance: Maybe.

  Butch: You wanna die?