Creating Stories and Metaphors for Change

Stories, or as we often call them, metaphors, are a very powerful tool not only when creating creating characters for novels and movies, but when we want to give a powerful example with a moral, and help create a lasting change. Story with a morale for the children - whether as a parent or a teacher, or our clients, in your role as a life coach.

Author Joseph Campbell studied myths and tales, and identified that most of them share the same "formula", which he called: The Hero's Journey.

Stages of the Hero's Journey

There are twelve steps to the hero’s journey:

1.      Ordinary World: This step refers to the hero's normal life at the start of the story, before the adventure begins. 

2.      Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with something that makes him begin his adventure. This might be a problem or a challenge he needs to overcome. 

3.      Refusal of the Call: The hero attempts to refuse the adventure because he is afraid. 

4.      Meeting with the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who can give him advice and ready him for the journey ahead.  

5.      Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves his ordinary world for the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure.  

6.      Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero learns the rules of his new world. During this time, he endures tests of strength of will, meets friends, and comes face to face with foes.

7.      Approach: Setbacks occur, sometimes causing the hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas. 

8.      Ordeal: The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, such as a life or death crisis. 

9.      Reward: After surviving death, the hero earns his reward or accomplishes his goal. 

10.  The Road Back: The hero begins his journey back to his ordinary life.

11.  Resurrection Hero - The hero faces a final test where everything is at stake and he must use everything he has learned.  

12.  Return with Elixir:  The hero brings his knowledge or the "elixir" back to the ordinary world, where he applies it to help all who remain there.  


Here is a little task for you - can you track the steps of some famous characters and match them to the stages of the Hero’s Journey? The Lion King, or Fight Club, are great examples.

Storytelling is an art in itself, but what it is most powerful for, is the influence it can have on our lives in achieving a desired transformation that lasts and help you grow.

Elena Long

Your Coach to Success

THE FOUR STEPS TO UNSHAKEABLE COMMITMENT WITH ANY GOAL - part 2 of 2

by Logan Marshall
 

How To Go All Out: 4 Steps to Unshackled Commitment

Are you ready to go all out? Are you ready to throw off the bowlines and fully commit yourself to achieving a life of freedom and adventure?

If so, here’s how.

1. GET YOUR MINDSET RIGHT

Success in any aspect of life starts with your mindset. Faulty beliefs and assumptions are like powerful headwinds halting your progress and blowing you off course.

In order to truly “go all out” and make unprecedented progress, you must make the decision at a core level to hold nothing back. You must take a good look at your life and decide that nothing is going to stand in your way of success.

Back in high school I made the decision that no one was going to beat me to the finish line. I made a commitment at a fundamental level that I was going to do anything it took to achieve my goal.

This kind of raw, unrestrained dedication is extremely powerful. Trust me.

2. REFINE YOUR GOALS

It’s hard to commit yourself to something if your finish line is just a nebulous point off in the distance. So before you do anything, get ruthlessly clear about what your ultimate outcome looks like. Nail down exactly what you want, how you are going to get there and on what sort of timeline you plan to reach your destination.

For me, I want to have the freedom to pay my way through college, go to Alaska next summer and help build a school for 100 orphans in India.

This is what motivates me to continuously give my all. Your goals will undoubtedly be different, and that’s fine.

The key is to sculpt a vision that is so freaking awesome you are willing to do anything to achieve it.

3. FOCUS ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT

While the right mindset will give you the motivation you need to bring your A Game, if you focus on unimportant activities you still aren’t going to get anywhere!

“Going for it” doesn’t mean quadrupling your work load. Work for the sake of work is not the goal.

The goal is to live and work on your own terms.

This is especially significant if you already have a busy life full of responsibilities. In order to achieve freedom and escape the trap of selling your time for money, you must be ruthlessly selective about what you work on and what you ignore.

What should you work on? It all depends upon what stage you are on right now.

But if I could work on just one aspect of my business, creating invaluable content would be it. No question. Hands down.

4. HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE

Unfortunately, personal drive usually isn’t enough. It may be enough to get you started, but after a week or two the “new years resolution effect” begins to set in and your initial enthusiasm slowly begins to fade.

In order to stay committed, you need a way of holding yourself accountable.

How? Here are my top three ways:

·         Use the Weekly Daily Goals system to keep track of your most important tasks. At the beginning of each week, write down your top goals for the next 7 days. Before you go to bed each night, write down 2-3 key tasks that, if accomplished, will leave you satisfied with your day. Once you complete your goals for the day, stop guilt free.

·         Tell others what you are doing. At the very least, tell your family about the goals you’re trying to reach. Even if their reactions are less than supportive, getting your ambitions out in the open will help you stay committed.

·         Join a community. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who are rooting for (and expecting) your success can be extremely powerful. It can provide you with the confidence and motivation you need to take your business to a whole new level.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been putting off anything in your life, I invite you to ask yourself why. What are you waiting for?

If you’ve been waiting for the stars to align in your favor, if you’ve been waiting for that perfect moment to arrive… I’ve got some news for you:

It will never come.

There will always be a new problem standing in your way. Something you need to do before you can fully commit yourself. As William James once proclaimed, “To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.”

Life is short. Give something (or everything) your all.