This website was launched to share my Live The Hero concept with the world, and to start what I consider to be a much-needed conversation about how we can take charge of our lives by choosing better beliefs, habits, and actions.
My intent is to constantly communicate with my readers, to get your feedback on what you’d like Live The Hero to do for YOU. What about Live The Hero resonates with you? Is there something you think the concept lacks, or some concern in your life that it doesn’t address?
Whatever you’re looking for, whatever your feedback, let’s talk about it.
An Overview of Live The Hero
The following is a high-level summary of the Live The Hero philosophy. My writing on this blog will, over time, flesh out the concepts presented below:
The Problem
We live in an age of opportunity that we’re squandering. We’re tired of the cynicism, negativity, and the distorted worldview presented to us by a world bombarded by 24/7 information overload. We’re tired of feeling afraid, bitter, isolated, fearful, and mistrustful.
It’s time to return to independent thought, curiosity, resilience, inspiration, and imagination. But very few of us are taught how to approach life in a practical, deep, and structured way. We generally only get the shallowest of advice before we reach adulthood.
Though we’re told we have to “take charge” of our lives, we’re rarely given the tools to do so. People may say there is no “guidebook for life,” but humanity has stored a lot of wisdom that we’re not tapping into. I want to help change that.
The Solution
Live The Hero proposes a solution to the “wandering life” in which many of us find ourselves stuck. Rather than drifting through your days waiting for the world to bring you fulfillment, good fortune, and happiness, you can take charge of your journey by:
- Tapping into the world’s ancient traditions such as mythology (inspired mainly by Joseph Campbell)
- Using modern scientific knowledge in areas like neuroscience to change bad mental and physical habits (inspired by Charles Duhigg and others)
- Choosing how you react to adversity and creating your own definitions of purpose and meaning (inspired by Viktor Frankl and others)
Defining the H.E.R.O
Maybe you think acronyms are corny, but you can’t deny they help us remember concepts. Here’s one we can use to describe the attributes of a heroic approach to life:
- Human (accept your flaws, give yourself a break and stifle the inner critic)
- Elastic (adapt to overcome pain and other obstacles)
- Resourceful (be willing to explore life tools you’ve never used before)
- Open (be open-minded about the world; don’t blindly reject new things)
Perceptions
We must practice the habit of being mindful of our thoughts, and let go of perceptions that limit us. Some positive, self-supportive perceptions include:
- Life is neither fair nor unfair. It just is.
- Failure is your friend (the tale of Edison’s many experiments, Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule, and my own theory of “positive sucking“)
- Challenge is a vital part of life (Teddy Roosevelt’s “man in the arena“)
- Happiness is a byproduct of pursuing purpose (i.e. obtained by indirect pursuit)
- You are in control of how you react to the world (Frankl, Henley’s Invictus, Kipling’s If)
- Habits are not destiny. They can be changed. (Charles Duhigg)
Tools
All heroes have a good set of tools to use during their epic journeys. Here are
- Focus on your best B.E.T. (Beliefs Emotions Thoughts), as inspired by Mike Dooley
- The Hero’s Ring (the repeating cycle of the hero’s journey we can use to give structure to our reactions towards daily life events)
- Personal mythology (build your own pantheon of inspirational figures to emulate)
- Community (a support system of like-minded individuals)
Your Journey
Just like in many of today’s video games, life can be broken down into the “main quest” of your personal journey (which covers the long-term goals and meaning you seek in your life) and the numerous “side quests” (short-term goals) we can choose (or not choose) to pursue.
Conclusion
Everything outlined above is a lot of information, but my plan has always been to tackle these concepts gradually over time, so they can be incorporated slowly. Pacing the rate of change gives us a better chance of making positive change stick.
Ultimately, I envision the Live The Hero concept as a living thing, an ever-evolving philosophy that becomes better and better as more and more people encounter it and test it out in the real world. My hope is that this will give rise to a true “street philosophy” that will have practical application for you every day.
In other words: Live The Hero is for YOU. I want you to take it for a spin. Kick the tires. Put it through the toughest situations you encounter in your life. If it isn’t meeting your needs, let me know. I’ll take it back to the shop.
So, please comment on my posts, or drop me a line at anthony@livethehero.com to let me know what you think of Live The Hero as I reveal it over time.
It’s good to have you along for the journey!
Featured image courtesy Dynamo Development Labs
LIVE THE HERO 
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