Starting Your Business | The Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey.  In this video, Michael explains the metaphor of the hero’s (or heroine’s) journey.  Like in tales of great valour, the journey of starting a business isn’t always an easy one. There are pitfalls along the way. However, in his experience, Michael has found that the people who are aware of this, and who accept and sometimes even embrace setbacks, are the ones who are the most likely to succeed.

Like in a traditional fairy tale, the business entrepreneur’s hero’s journey takes him or her to a strange land where their previously accepted rules simply don’t work.  The new business owner has to face trials of strength and perseverance, learning to get up and keep going after every apparent failure.  Along the way,  seeming kindly colleagues and strangers will offer advice and guidance. The traveller must listen to them all, but be aware that the most beguiling advice is often the most harmful.  In the end, the decision has to be made alone.

The journey will involve solving puzzles, finding new friends, fighting foes, and perhaps facing his greatest fears, but, if the hero fights on, the reward will be the greatest treasure he or she has ever imagined.

From this metaphor, anyone thinking of starting a business need to take the following learnings:

  • Approach with a sense of curiosity and adventure.
  • Have a vision of what you want, but accept there will be challenges, normally more than you think fair.
  • Make plans. Expect those plans to change. Embrace and learn from what some might consider failure.
  • Push onwards when things go wrong. Jump forward when things go right.
  • Celebrate every achievement (however small) that is a move nearer to your vision.

This mindset works.

Go to Part 3 – Why Businesses Fail

Starting a Business Video Series Index

  1. Starting a business – Introduction
  2. The Hero’s Journey (this page)
  3. Why Businesses Fail
  4. The Importance of Plan Z
  5. How Businesses Succeed
  6. The Balanced Scorecard
  7. Cashflow
  8. Start With the End in Mind
  9. Increasing Revenue
  10. Health and Resilience
  11. How Mindset Affects Success
  12. Brand Proposition
  13. Activity
  14. Habits
  15. Conclusion and Review