When it comes to the hero’s journey, nothing is more certain than uncertainty.
By its very nature, the hero’s journey is about confronting, and ultimately overcoming, uncertainty. Heroes are those individuals who make a choice to go beyond the comforts of home into the unknown, in a quest for new ideas and a deeper wisdom.
The very act of going outside one’s known world is an acceptance of the existence of uncertainty. This is exemplified by what Bilbo said to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings:
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."
Heroes “keep their feet” by being certain about themselves and their abilities, rather than struggling to make the world a place of certainty.
To put it another way, heroes can step outside the known world when others refuse to do so because they know the difference between inner certainty and outer certainty.
Inner Certainty vs. Outer Certainty
If you listen to the news, you would think we live in the most uncertain period in history. But we all know humanity has always existed in a world full of apparently random circumstance.
To combat this fact, we’ve created gods, insurance policies, and other safeguards to sooth our fears and minimize uncertainty.
Perhaps most important of all, we’ve created myths. The legendary stories crafted by the world’s various cultures have served to teach us a valuable lesson: since the world outside us will never be completely risk-free, we must cultivate “inner” certainty.
A major source of uncertainty can be philosophical questioning about the meaning of life. Logotherapy, the branch of psychology created by Viktor Frankl, championed the belief that human beings are primarily motivated by the search for meaning. Where much conventional wisdom puts the meaning of life “somewhere” outside the determination of humanity, logotherapy posits that we must be the creators of our own purpose.
Frankl’s philosophy is squarely in line with the teachings of the great heroic myths: one must consciously take control of one’s own destiny (i.e. meaning), and thereby focus on the only true source of certainty—oneself.
Three Steps to True Certainty
Fear and courage are both habits. Here are three steps to cultivate the latter when it comes to uncertainty:
1. Acceptance of Outer Uncertainty: Remember you cannot control all the circumstances and events of the world around you. See the unexpected challenges of daily life as opportunities for growth rather than objects of frustration, disappointment, and fear. The unknown can be seen as a source of anticipation and hope rather than anxiety.
2. Belief in Inner Certainty: Cultivate a habit of self-confidence, and let yourself believe you are capable of conquering your problems. Trust that you have the skills to overcome what you once considered obstacles. Research has proven the veracity of the growth mindset. Our minds (indeed, our physical brains) are more malleable (and improvable) than many of us were lead to believe.
3. Solution Focus vs. Worry Focus: When confronted with a problem, practice slipping into a solution mindset rather than fixating on worry. Contemplation of regrets when it comes to our circumstances paralyzes us into non-action. Immediately seeking solutions, however, keeps us rooted in the present, and plays on the strengths of our uniquely adaptable minds.
Implementing the above practices will, of course, take some work to turn them into new and positive habits. But as with any hero’s journey, there can be no gain without the road of trials.
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About the Author
Anthony Simeone is a writer, speaker, personal development activist, and social change warrior with over two decades of experience studying the practical application of literature, philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines. The culmination of his work is the Live the Hero concept, which he offers as a "lifepath" for use in overcoming daily obstacles.
Live the Hero combines the wisdom found in the arts and humanities with the latest discoveries related to modern neuroscience. You can contact Anthony and learn more about his work at livethehero.com.