Trading And The Hero’s Journey

How many times have you wanted to start something new - maybe get a sexy new body, a new career path or a new stock market strategy, when something happens that stops you from achieving your goal?  Chances are you’re experiencing “The Hero’s Journey” and just don’t know it.  Don’t know what The Hero’s Journey is?  Read on below.

The Path To Your Goals, Dreams and Aspirations is Here

It’s long been known as beginner’s luck.  When we start a new idea, goal or venture we find that many things help us along as if by magic - in fact, often we can’t lose!  A friend knows someone who can help you, maybe a chance meeting finds you a brilliant mentor or you have a nice run of wins.  You think – “This is easy, I’ll get my new body / new career / new stock market riches in no time at this rate!”

But then something bad happens.  It could be you sprain your ankle and can’t exercise for a while.  You might find out your career path isn’t what you wanted or your boss blocks your every attempt to do good things.  Maybe the stock market has a sharp correction.  And you think to yourself “What happened?  I used to be so good at this!  I was surely on my way to success!”  And you start to have second thoughts. 

And this is about the time when most people will give up.

Enter The Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is an idea on basic mythology created by Joseph Campbell, and is something we have all been through.  We’ve all experienced beginner’s luck only to be bamboozled when it disappears.  But there is much more to this journey and when we’re aware of it we CAN continue on to our desired goal or destination. 

To help, this journey will usually unfold as the picture below (click to enlarge):

Your Call To Adventure

As you can see – the call to adventure is where you will start your “quest”.  When you start, you usually receive a boost from a helpful mentor, twist of fate or “supernatural aid”, before a “guardian” blocks your path.  The guardian, of course, could be any form of trouble or blockage that hinders you from getting to your goal.

Once you pass this guardian; this first test, you head into a new area – the UNKNOWN.  This is somewhere you have never been before in your life – it will at times be scary or uncomfortable for you, and as you can see there are challenges and temptations to distract you from your goal.  You will experience new things and meet new people.  You will grow and learn new skills, and you will find helpers and mentors to help you as well.  But nothing will prepare you for what comes next:

The Abyss

We’ve all been there – and if you haven’t yet, you will at some stage in your lifetime.  The Abyss is a place in your life where everything seems to fall apart.  It gets so dark you can’t see your way out – you can’t see that things will ever change for the better.  If you haven’t given up by now, this is a place where many many people will call it quits.  Examples could be a family or relationship break up, a massive loss in the stock market, being fired from your job, or even the death of someone close to you.  These can be very dark days indeed.

Your Transformation

But from this Abyss, this dark place, comes a spiritual “death” of sorts.  You might leave behind an old part of yourself that wasn’t helpful to your quest.  You might be forced to adapt new skills.  You might simply vow that you’ll do whatever it takes for it to never ever happen again.  And so you transform.  You transform into the Hero – the hero who has what it takes to complete their journey: their goal.  Your new, powerful self comes out of the Abyss stronger, wiser, and with new skills that make your goal possible.

And so it is, you reach your goal.  You return to the “known” and receive the “gift of the goddess” – your ultimate prize.  And this is how it ends, until your next “Call To Adventure”.

You Are The Hero

Yes, you.  Because sometime in your life - maybe even now – you will be going through the hero’s journey.   You might be in the Abyss right now – or you might be at the threshold of the Unknown, trying to beat the guardian and set off on your path.  Wherever you are on you journey, it helps to have a map to show you :) .

Your Journey As A Trader Or Investor

As you can see, The Hero’s Journey can be a part of any goal, not just trading and investing.  But it is in Trading and Investing that people come least prepared, and most shocked at the losses they encounter if they ARE unprepared.  The guardians and Abyss in trading and investing can be particularly nasty, so seek out the mentors, move out of the known and into the unknown, out of your comfort zone, learn and be ready for the Abyss when it happens.

And whatever you do – never ever ever give up.

Before you know it, you will be the Trading Hero you always dreamed you’d be.

- Dave McLachlan

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January 2, 2011  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Articles On Building Wealth

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