Hero's Journey

Definition

One of the most common mythological templates that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, and then comes home changed or transformed.

Origin

The study of hero myth narratives started in 1871 with anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor's observations of common patterns in plots of heroes' journeys, and later popularized in 1949 by Joseph Campbell, who was influenced by Carl Jung's view of myth and went on to influence George Lucas and Star Wars, among many others.

Everyday Use

We think of the Hero's Journey as an epic adventure, but it can be just as consequential in an average day — making the right decisions, defeating our own monsters, recognizing that each new day is one where can aspire to walk the hero's path of our own lives.