Hero's Journey Framework Reframes Life Challenges for Creative Growth
TL;DR
- The Hero's Journey framework, comprising 12 phases from "Ordinary World" to "Return with the Elixir," provides a narrative structure to understand and navigate personal creative quests and life challenges.
- Embracing the "Call to Adventure" and navigating its subsequent phases, including "Refusal of the Call" and "Tests, Allies, and Enemies," fosters personal growth and creative development.
- The "Innermost Cave" and "Ordeal" phases, representing central challenges, often require confronting unresolved personal issues or trauma, leading to significant self-discovery and skill acquisition.
- The "Resurrection" phase highlights that the necessary inner strength and resources to achieve goals are often already possessed, requiring only a shift in perspective to access.
- Applying the Hero's Journey narrative to life events helps contextualize challenges, recognize progress, and appreciate the ordinary world with new perspectives, transforming it into an extraordinary experience.
- Recognizing unique individual brain anatomy and life experiences underscores a personal imperative to share one's story and art, contributing uniquely to the world and encouraging others.
Deep Dive
The podcast episode "Why me? The Hero's Journey" argues that understanding the universal narrative structure of the hero's journey, as outlined by Joseph Campbell, provides a powerful framework for navigating personal creative quests and life's challenges. By mapping individual experiences onto these twelve phases, listeners can gain clarity on their progress, identify necessary growth, and ultimately unlock their inherent creative potential. This reframing of adversity as part of a structured adventure transforms the often-isolating question "why me?" into a catalyst for self-discovery and creative fulfillment.
The core implication of the hero's journey framework is its ability to reframe personal struggles and creative pursuits as deliberate, structured quests rather than random, overwhelming events. Each phase--from the Ordinary World and the Call to Adventure to the Ordeal and the Return with the Elixir--offers a lens through which to understand one's current situation and anticipate future steps. For instance, the "Refusal of the Call" phase, often characterized by imposter syndrome or practical limitations, highlights the internal and external barriers that must be overcome. Recognizing these barriers as a standard part of the journey, rather than a personal failing, can reduce self-doubt. Similarly, the "Meeting the Mentor" phase underscores the importance of guidance and belief, suggesting that seeking or acknowledging supportive figures is a critical, not optional, component of progress. The journey's structure also emphasizes that the "Reward" and "Elixir" are often not just external achievements but internal transformations and acquired skills, such as the podcast host's realization of her academic capabilities and solidified identity as a songwriter. This suggests that the value of the journey lies not solely in the destination but in the cumulative growth and self-awareness gained along the way, offering a profound redefinition of success.
Ultimately, the episode posits that the hero's journey is a recurring pattern in life, and embracing its structure encourages individuals to view challenges not as insurmountable obstacles but as integral phases of personal and creative development. The "Resurrection" phase, where the hero realizes they possessed the necessary tools all along, serves as a critical reminder that inner strength and creative capacity are inherent. This perspective shifts the focus from what one lacks to what one already possesses. The recommendation to re-watch The Wizard of Oz with this framework in mind, and to apply it to one's own life, offers a practical call to action. It suggests that by understanding and embracing the narrative arc of struggle, learning, and transformation, individuals can access their deepest creative reserves and live more fulfilling, extraordinary lives, even within their ordinary circumstances.
Action Items
- Map personal creative journey: Identify 12 hero's journey phases within own experience to track progress and future direction.
- Draft "call to adventure" statement: Articulate a specific, actionable prompt that initiates a creative quest or project.
- Identify 3-5 mentors: List individuals who have provided guidance and belief, and consider how to reciprocate their support.
- Analyze 2-3 past "refusals of the call": Examine reasons for hesitation (e.g., imposter syndrome, practical barriers) to preempt future avoidance.
- Create "ordinary world" reflection: Document current environment and circumstances to establish a baseline for future creative journeys.
Key Quotes
"Yes, most of us might not identify with the label of hero or even heroine, but this hero is an ordinary person, just like you or me. It's a premise that was first described by writer Joseph Campbell, but drew on the work in archetypes from psychotherapist Carl Jung."
The author, Trisha Duffy, explains that the concept of the "hero" in the hero's journey is not meant to be aspirational but relatable. Duffy highlights that this narrative structure, popularized by Joseph Campbell, is rooted in the psychological work of Carl Jung, suggesting its foundation in universal human experience.
"There are 12 phases in the hero's journey, and I can use each of them to map out my own journey to creativity, and I'm encouraging you to do the same. In the face of challenges of maintaining our creativity, I believe it can really help to tell the story of our journey from ordinary to extraordinary life."
Duffy proposes that the twelve phases of the hero's journey can serve as a framework for understanding one's own creative path. She suggests that by narrating this journey, individuals can gain perspective on their progress and future direction, particularly when facing difficulties in sustaining their creative endeavors.
"My innermost cave took the form of my final research project for my master's. I've mentioned this project before in previous episodes, but I embarked on the challenge to write an entire album from the perspective of a character, Seraphina, from The Rose Tattoo, a play by Tennessee Williams."
Duffy describes her personal "innermost cave" as her master's thesis project, which involved writing a full album from the viewpoint of a fictional character. This illustrates how the abstract concept of the innermost cave can manifest as a significant, challenging undertaking in a person's creative or academic life.
"All that Dorothy ever needed to return home was with her all along. All you need to live your creative life is with you now. It may not be a pair of slippers, but inside your soul, you have everything, everything you need to live a truly creative life."
Duffy emphasizes the "Resurrection" phase of the hero's journey by drawing a parallel to Dorothy's realization that she possessed the means to return home all along. Duffy asserts that individuals already have the necessary inner resources to live a creative life, even if they need to undertake a journey to access them.
"Our brains are influenced by both genetics and life experiences. We actually enhance parts of our brains by doing things. It's as individual as your fingerprint, and with that in mind, perhaps you have a duty to share your story and encourage others to do the same."
Duffy connects the uniqueness of individual brains to the importance of personal storytelling and creative expression. Duffy explains that brain development is shaped by both inherited traits and lived experiences, suggesting that this individuality creates a unique perspective that individuals have a responsibility to share through their art.
Resources
External Resources
Books
- "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell - Mentioned as the premise first described by the writer Joseph Campbell regarding the hero's journey.
- "The Writer's Journey" by Joseph Vogler - Referenced as a resource the author dips into frequently for songwriting practice.
- "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert - Mentioned as a book the author picked up while recovering from an injury.
People
- Joseph Campbell - Writer who first described the premise of the hero's journey.
- Carl Jung - Psychotherapist whose work in archetypes was drawn upon for the hero's journey concept.
- Joseph Vogler - Author of "The Writer's Journey."
- Dorothy - Protagonist in "The Wizard of Oz," used as an example throughout the hero's journey narrative.
- Virginie - Songwriter friend who suggested the author pursue a degree in songwriting.
- Rose - Singing teacher and friend who has unwavering faith in the author's abilities as a singer.
- Ollie - Producer for the "little law project" who believes anything is possible.
- Professor Sophie Daniels - Mentioned as someone who told the author she could become a professional songwriter.
- Glinda the Good Witch - Character from "The Wizard of Oz" who provided Dorothy with ruby slippers.
- Elizabeth Gilbert - Author of "Big Magic."
- Dr. Angela Chan - Artist, mom, friend, wife, academic, writer, inclusion expert, and storyteller, who will be interviewed in the next episode.
Organizations & Institutions
- West London University - Where Virginie completed a degree in songwriting.
- ICMP (Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) - Music school in London where the author embarked on her Master's in songwriting.
Websites & Online Resources
- in 10 years time official (Instagram/Facebook) - Author's social media presence for engagement.
- in 10 years time com - Author's website where listeners can buy her a coffee.
Other Resources
- The Hero's Journey - A storytelling structure described by Joseph Campbell, used to map personal journeys to creativity and navigate challenges.
- Archetypes - Concepts from psychotherapist Carl Jung's work, drawn upon for the hero's journey.
- Method Acting - A technique used by actors to conjure authentic feelings for a character's circumstances.
- Affective Memory / Emotional Substitutions - A technique within method acting.
- 10 Year Plan - A concept mentioned by the author for living a creative life.
- The Wizard of Oz - A movie used as an example to illustrate the phases of the hero's journey.
- 12 Phases of the Hero's Journey - The specific stages within the hero's journey narrative.
- Seraphina - A character from Tennessee Williams' play "The Rose Tattoo," whose perspective was used for an album of songs.
- "The Rose Tattoo" - A play by Tennessee Williams, which inspired an album of songs.
- Ruby Slippers - Magical slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" that allow Dorothy to return home.
- "If I Only Had a Brain" - A song mentioned in relation to the characters' perceived lack of qualities.
- Creativity Newsletter - A newsletter offered by the author.