Q: How can you use your strength to serve the world today?
A: Christopher McDougall in his great book, “Natural Born Heroes” tells us that, heroes care. “That true heroism, as the ancient [greeks] understood it, isn’t about strength or boldness, or even courage. It’s about compassion”.
When the Greeks created their heroic ideal that didn’t choose a word that means ‘dies trying’ or ‘punishing Bad Guys’, They went with ‘Heroes. The origins of the word ‘Hero’ means protector. McDougall continues to tell us that “heroes aren’t perfect, they are constantly teetering between their heroic destiny and lethargy. What tips them towards greatness is their empathy”. The more they connect with others and set their minds on serving the world, the greater their ability to develop their talent. It takes this commitment to a cause greater than yourself to become a hero.
If you are a member of an athletics team, you are already committed to a cause greater than yourself. Being part of a team is a great training ground to practice supporting your teammates towards the accomplishment of a common goal. It’s a great place to move from selfish pursuits to develop your heroic talents!
To practice being a hero in this setting you need to continually ask yourself, “How can I give more to serve my teammates?” As you practice committing to your team, you will 10x the development of your courage, grit, and focus. You can use these talents to find what Jim Collins, in his book “Good to Great,” calls your ‘hedgehog principle’– the one thing that you were put on the earth to do. To find this, you need to ask yourself three questions:
Your heroic quest is at the nexus point of these three questions. As you search for your calling, continue to practice showing up every moment focused on living your heroic identity. Of course, there will be moments when you will question your resolve. However, your clear vision of “why”, will carry you through the tough times.
#Hero #Humility #Purpose
