When you think of a superhero, what or who comes to mind? Superman? Spider-Man? Batman? Wonder Woman?
We love superhero movies in our home (some more than others) but it got me thinking. What do they all have in common?
I notice that they have an alter ego. If you are a fan, it will come as no surprise that
they are fighting for the greater good and have some personal demons or challenges to overcome along the way.
How are they any different then to you or me?
Are we not all wanting a greater good - for ourselves, our career, loved ones, the community or the world? Do we not live with personal demons and have challenges to overcome?
How often do we feel stuck and want to push ahead for a better life yet are stuck as to how? How often do we think that it shouldn’t be so hard?
What does the superhero do? I see that the superhero pushes through, working to find a way. I am drawn into the superhero’s drive and commitment for the greater good. Where’s the superhero’s focus?
Ok, so real life is not like the movies but what can we take from this?
The superhero believes in him or herself. If not immediately, certainly soon into the movie. If you have watched Superman the Homecoming, it is evident that Peter Parker, for all his quirkiness, reaches that point of trusting a significantly higher belief in himself as a superhero. Wearing that mask, believing in himself as Spiderman, allows him to achieve amazing things. In time, there is acceptance of the human being that he is too – including his imperfections.
We do not all have a costume or mask to wear, although one could argue some masks are work some of the time (that’s another article!). But, importantly, we are capable of being our own hero, master of our life and career, our business, relationships and more. Just as we are all able to if we choose, Peter Parker was also able to learn about balance – he is only human after all.
We are more than what we do day to day, getting on with daily life. We cruise, thinking we are alive, alert, actively contributing. The problem is that there is more under the surface that we have somehow left behind, there is more to us that is in a bit of a sleep state. We all have unexplored potential that we are missing out on.
It’s time to unleash it, wake up and truly live.
Discover the hero in you.
Part two coming soon.