In 1990, I became a Special Features writer and photographer for the Coronado Eagle & Journal newspaper in San Diego. I wrote articles about local heroes who were making a positive difference in our local community.
In 1991, I created the In Search Of Heroes program to encourage high school journalism students to ask local individuals a series of questions about heroes and heroism. The goal was to inspire young people to research the concept of heroism, so they could write educational articles to inspire other students and the community.
We worked with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Coronado CableVision and the high school principal and journalism and multi-media teachers. We even went in search of heroes at the San Diego Comic Con.
In 2002, I created the website http://InSearchOfHeroes.com to publish articles and videos about my research on heroism and heroes. I started going to Internet marketing seminars to interview entrepreneurs that acted heroically at these amazing events.
After 40 years of trying to be a hero to others, I realized the best way to honor the HEROES in my life was to write exciting, emotionally engaging stories about how they impacted my own personal hero’s journey.
To honor the HEROES in your life, why not write stories about the people who made a big difference in yours. Share how they inspired you to be a better person, helped you overcome a difficult problem or encouraged you to accept the responsibility for your own decisions. Your stories will give them the recognition they deserve and inspire future generations.
To help you understand the different parts of your own hero’s journey, I compiled the most useful information available from the HEROES Journey thought leaders. I created simplified outlines from their books: Joseph Campbell, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Christopher Vogler, The Writers Journey, Maureen Murdock, The Heroine’s Journey and Carol Pearson, Awakening The Heroes Within.
After reading these books twice and studying them in-depth, I chose Carol Pearson’s book, Awakening The Heroes Within as the foundation for my In Search Of HEROES coaching program. It provides a simple, comprehensive system that makes it easy for you to understand your own hero’s journey.
Heroism is easier to comprehend when you analyze your life in light of the 12 roles everyone has the opportunity to experience: Innocent, Orphan, Warrior, Caregiver, Seeker, Lover, Destroyer, Creator, Ruler, Magician, Sage and Fool. You can easily identify the roles you have already experienced; the next one you want to complete and the roles of the people who have impacted your life in positive and negative ways.
The search for HEROES makes sense when you look at your life from the perspective of your own hero’s journey. You will discover there are many unexpected HEROES and mentors.
They helped you break free from the situations and thought processes that blocked your growth as a person. Their interaction with you, allowed you to become the person you were created to be, so you could complete your unique mission here on earth. By writing stories about them and their impact on your life journey, you pass on to future generations the wisdom you have gained through the trials, tribulations and joys of your life.
To remain inspired daily to act like a hero, I read a few pages of a fictional story about heroes and heroism. My favorite action/adventure fiction authors are: Clive Cussler,
Jack Du Brul, Matthew Reilly, James Byron Huggins, James Rollins and Susan Collins.
This book is based on the transcript of the interview of Ralph Zuranski by Sharif Khan, the author of the book the Hero’s Soul. The conversational format allows you the opportunity to experience the truth of the moment. When people speak about their life in response to probing questions, you know their answers come directly from their heart.
The easiest way to share the stories of the HEROES in your life is to use the simplified HEROES journey story outline. All the great authors and screenwriters throughout history have followed the same pattern. Here are the ten basic parts of the HEROES journey.
- You are confronted with a challenge.
- You reject the challenge.
- You accept the challenge.
- You experience many trials and tribulations.
- You meet allies and gain personal power.
- You confront evil and defeat it.
- You experience the dark night of the Soul.
- You reap benefits from a leap of Faith.
- You confront evil and are victorious.
You were once the student and now have become the Teacher.