Be a Hero

So...you want to be a hero, eh?...Why??

What Is a Hero? What exactly is a hero? Literature and film have depicted many different heroes in many different ways. They all have different qualities, go through different circumstances and struggles, and have different outcomes as a result of their efforts. Some of the stories are happy successes; others are tragedies. There are comic heroes, superheroes, tragic heroes, the common man, and even antiheroes. Often they are people of extraordinary talent and ability, but not always. Some receive great recognition; others do not. Is there a common thread that binds them all together? There is. It is simply that they have a vision or passion: they have some great thing they are trying to accomplish, they make a plan, and then they put their best effort into accomplishing it (whether they actually succeed or not is an entirely different matter). Usually their goal is an unselfish one for the betterment of mankind. The Heroic Commitment As we have learned from Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility." Being a hero, no matter how romantic, glorious, and exciting it appears in books and on the screen, is not fun and games. I'm sure it can be an enjoyable experience, and you probably even end up with a pretty good feeling of self-fulfillment if you succeed in your heroic endeavors, but the fact of the matter is that it's tough. (I speak, of course, from extensive personal heroic experience.) It requires you to be willing to sacrifice everything, even your life, for your cause. You face great challenges and hardships. It's a universal law: there is opposition in all things. With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. For all the good in the world, there is just as much evil working against it. Really, the only battle is determining which side you're on and whether you want to be happy or not. So now that we've thoroughly thrashed through heroic motives, do you still really want to be one? I hope so. We certainly have a need for them. Are you willing to make great sacrifices and put all of your efforts into the noble goals you hold dear? Keep in mind that this does not mean that you become so fanatical about something that you neglect other important parts of your life: a hero must try to be balanced, or else they will become so mentally, emotionally, or physically unhealthy that they will render themselves ineffective and probably shorten their usefulness by dying early. And then we have someone else to add to the bottom of our list of tragic heroes. No, a good hero has to take good care of themselves. Which in itself is a great challenge, and I congratulate anyone who actually does it and does it well.

The Irony of Heroic Glory

Unfortunately, most people who want to be heroes have selfish reasons for being one. They want recognition and glory. This is the type that generally end up being tragic heroes, hardly a desirable situation. A bit unpleasant in fact, especially if the results are fatal. But real life isn't quite the same as fiction. Not always so dramatic. I think most of the time (in real life) people that have selfish reasons for wanting to be heroes are usually too lazy to end up with anything better or worse than mediocre results in their pursuits, just because they sit around all day watching TV and reading comic books. They're stuck in their little fantasy worlds and don't have enough drive to put their dreams into action. They don't have the deep noble desires necessary for that passionate drive common among heroes.

If you actually want to be a hero, it probably won't work. A hero, by definition, is someone who is willing to sacrifice self-interest for larger causes. Therefore, if it's fame and glory that you want — if the title or status of "hero" is your end, you really can't be a true hero. True heroes usually avoid recognition and are reluctant to be placed in a higher status or portrayed as better than their peers. This is not just because of humility, but because of the love they have for their fellow beings, which is what motivated them to heroic action in the first place. In fact, they recognize what potential exists in the common man — something most normal people only wish but don't actually believe. And that is the only thing holding many back from accomplishing extraordinary things. If only they could expand their faith in themselves and in God, and believe that they could cause good things to happen, they would!

A further irony comes again from the problematic glory mentality. In our popular media, heroes are often shown as action-heroes; as people who live violent, sensational lives and are constantly in danger and exposed to threat. Although this way of living is portrayed as glorious and exciting — even desirable, the more capable you become of handling such situations, the more you only want peace, tranquility, and love to exist. In other words, you do everything you can to avoid violence — to keep from hurting or damaging others. You try to avoid conflicts entirely. The true hero is a loving, unselfish peacemaker.

Becoming a Hero

How do you become a hero? In order to answer this question, we have to consider another question first: Is heroship determined by what someone does, or who they are? In other words, is it the accomplishments or the qualities that determine the hero? I argue that it is who you are, what your qualities and strengths are, and what's in your heart and mind that determines your heroship more than what you actually accomplish, since what you do is derived from who you are and what you think and feel in the first place. So, getting back to our first question, I'll share with you my not-quite-expert advice: First, you must train and improve yourself so that you will be capable of performing heroic deeds. Second, identify a noble goal or cause that you are passionate about. Research every aspect of it as deeply as you can. Make sure to clearly identify exactly what benefits will come from accomplishing it and what consequences result from failing. This is necessary for you to be able to motivate yourself. Third, come up with the best possible plan that you can to accomplish it, and break it down into manageable tasks. Fourth, get to work and do the tasks. Adjust plans and goals as needed, since unforeseen circumstances always arise and plans are spoiled.

How do you train to be a hero? You can't really help the world or do much good if you can't help yourself. The training process should develop your overall self-discipline, focus, strength, balance, and health. It's important to invest (according to Stephen Covey) at least an hour each day to personal renewal exercises for this reason. I personally, due to my current health situation and inability to attend school, have been spending just about all day of every day doing such activities (though I must admit I haven't actually accomplished many very heroic deeds yet). An hour each day probably isn't even enough, since that's about how long it takes just to do adequate stretching, aerobic, and strength training exercises to maintain your physical health. It is important to also take time to do relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing and mediation, as these are both physically and emotionally beneficial. Taking time to pray and/or meditate each day is also highly mentally and spiritually beneficial. And it's pretty important to socialize a bit, too, which is something I'm not particularly sufficient at myself. If it helps, you can hire a personal trainer that's half man, half goat and talks like Danny DeVito?.

• Your personal training program
• Take the "How Heroic Are You?" quiz

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