You Might Be a Hero But Not Know It
Anyone who displays the courage to continually defy the dual constraints of nature and nurture is being heroic.
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Heroes are often the last ones to know when they are being heroic. Deciding who qualifies as a hero depends on how you define the word. You don’t have to engage in military combat or be a first responder in crisis to be a hero. Now, get ready for a unique definition:
A hero is an individual who repeatedly chooses to face two unavoidable obstacles in order to achieve heartfelt yet uncomfortable goals.
- Obstacle 1 is nature.
- Obstacle 2 is nurture.
Nature = We are hard-wired by the functioning of the amygdala portion of the brain to avoid uncomfortable, fear-provoking situations. Stimuli are detected largely by our eyes, ears, and nose and this sensory data gets transferred immediately to the thalamus and then goes right to the amygdala. This instant survival mechanism triggers emotional, fight-or-flight reactions before the prefrontal cortex can rationally assess the situation. The rational brain gets hijacked as the predominant source of our choices.
Nurture = Unconscious cultural conditioning dictates rules that supposedly constitute reasonable effort and risk for taking significant actions:
- You must feel motivated or inspired.
- You must face favorable circumstances.
- You must have evidence of prior success.
- You must possess the right temperament and natural abilities.
Contemplate the enormous depletion of performance capacity from the interaction of nature and nurture. First, your brain shrinks in its capacity to think rationally and face reality. Second, you don’t think for yourself to gauge when goals are worthy of expending seemingly unreasonable effort. The combined impact of nature and nurture ensures the urge to stay comfortable will triumph over heroic accomplishments.
Most people conduct their lives unaware of nature and nurture as pervasive, comfort-driven constraints. As a result, they surrender their personal freedom of choice, including dreams and heartfelt goals. Consequently…
Anyone who displays the courage to continually defy the dual constraints of nature and nurture is being heroic.
Now peel back and acknowledge the bold risks and uncomfortable changes you’ve chosen to take on in the last year. Acknowledge your ability to be heroic!
Ruthlessly Honest Question
What are memorable occasions where you displayed courage to defy the dual constraints of nature and nurture and can be considered heroic acts?
What are situations in your current life where you choose to settle for a semblance of comfort rather than make the effort required to achieve goals that truly matter?
Heroic Experiment for This Week
Pick one of your 2023 goals that requires taking heroic action to overcome your fears and discomfort. What uncomfortable actions will you commit to accomplishing this week?
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