The Truth About the Hero's Journey: What We've Been Missing

Have you ever felt like you've reached a transformative moment in your life or career, only to find yourself wondering, "That's it? Now what? What's next?" If so, you're not alone – and there's a fascinating reason why.

As a brand strategist and thought leader activator, I've spent years helping experts amplify their voices. But recently, I stumbled upon a revelation that shook the foundation of how I viewed professional growth. It all started with Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey."

The Origin: More Complex Than We Think

Campbell's 1949 book, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," introduced the concept of the monomyth or the Hero's Journey. It's a profound work, synthesizing mythology, psychology, and anthropology. But here's the kicker – it's also incredibly dense and complex.

How complex? Well, let's just say it's not your typical beach read. Campbell cites 191 books, countless journal articles, and religious scriptures. It's a scholarly tome that would made academic scratch their head. 

The Disney Simplification

Fast forward to 1985. Christopher Vogler, a Hollywood executive, condenses Campbell's work into a 7-page memo for Disney (first 5 pages are about selling the concept of the hero's journey and the 12 Steps are described on the last 2 pages). Suddenly, the Hero's Journey becomes accessible to screenwriters and filmmakers. It's a game-changer for storytelling in cinema.

But here's the thing – in simplifying Campbell's work, something crucial was lost.

The Marketing World's Version

In 2017, Donald Miller's "StoryBrand" further simplified the Hero's Journey for marketers (although, Campbell's book is not mentioned as source). Now we're down to just 7 steps, a far cry from Campbell's original work.

Don't get me wrong – these simplified versions have their place. They've helped countless storytellers, marketers, and brands build narratives. But they're missing a vital piece of the puzzle.

The Missing Half: The Return

Here's what blew my mind: in Campbell's original work, the transformative moment – what we often consider the "end" of the journey – is actually just the midpoint.

The second half of the journey, the Return, is equally important. It's about bringing your newfound wisdom back to your community, integrating your experiences, and creating lasting change.

But in our rush to simplify, we've often cut off the story right at the climax. It's like reading only half a book, or worse, leaving our hero stranded at the top of the mountain.

Why This Matters

This oversight has profound implications:

1. Incomplete narratives: We're telling half-stories, leaving our audiences (and ourselves) wondering what happens after the big "aha" moment.

2. Unrealistic expectations: By focusing solely on the journey to transformation, we set ourselves up for disappointment when we realize there's still work to be done.

3. Missed opportunities: The Return phase is where real, lasting change happens. By neglecting it, we're missing out on the most impactful part of the journey.

A Personal Realisation

I'll be honest – I was guilty of this oversight too, i've learned brand story structure like everyone else in the marketing world, from others. It wasn't until I really dug into Campbell's original work that I realized what we've been missing. And let me tell you, it was both humbling and exciting.

The moment of revelation came during a session with an expert client that was in a unique position i never had before. She had achieved mastery in her field but was struggling with what came next. "Ioana," she said, her voice tinged with frustration, "I don't know what to do. How do I function in the world now?"

As I listened, I began sketching out the familiar Hero's Journey circle we've all seen countless times. But something wasn't adding up. Based on this popular map, my client should have been near the end of her journey. Yet I knew from experience that she was only halfway there.

You see, as an implementor at heart, I've always had a clear understanding of how to guide experts in applying their knowledge to create real-world impact. But this widely-accepted map didn't account for the enormous amount of work I knew lay ahead – work I'd guided experts through.

Something was missing so i started digging deeper into the hero's journey, first the internet (which disappointed in providing only regurgitated information and interpretations that lead further from the real work ) and then right to the source.

I dove back into Campbell's original work. And there it was, clear as day – a complete circle that matched what I'd observed in the real world. The transformation, the moment of enlightenment that we often consider the end, was actually just the midpoint of the journey.

Campbell's words confirmed my revelation:

"The whole idea is that you've got to bring out again that which you went to recover, the unrealized, unutilized potential in yourself. The whole point of this journey is the reintroduction of this potential into the world…It goes without saying, this is very difficult. Bringing the boon back can be even more difficult than going down into your own depths in the first place."

This discovery was a game-changer. It validated the work I'd been doing and highlighted a crucial gap in our understanding of the Hero's Journey. The first half of the journey – the path to mastery – is well-mapped. But the second half – the return, the integration, the real-world application – is largely uncharted territory.

I realized that this is where my true expertise lies. My mission isn't to guide people to mastery – that's just the first half. My specialty is in that critical, often overlooked second half: helping experts navigate the challenging journey of bringing their wisdom back to the world, of becoming true thought leaders.

In that moment, I understood that I wasn't just helping experts become thought leaders; I was the sherpa for the descent from the mountain of mastery, guiding them as they bring their gifts back to the world and create their lasting legacy.

This realization not only clarified my role but also ignited a passion to correct this widespread misunderstanding. The Hero's Journey doesn't end at the moment of transformation – in many ways, that's just where the real work begins.

Moving Forward

So, what do we do with this knowledge? Here are a few thoughts:

1. Embrace the full journey: Recognize that transformation is not the end, but a midpoint.

2. Plan for the Return: As you set goals, think about how you'll integrate your achievements into your life and community.

3. Share your full story: Don't just talk about your origin story – share how you've applied your learnings and the impact they've had.

Remember, every hero's journey is unique. But by understanding the full scope of that journey, we can create more meaningful, lasting transformations – both for ourselves and for those we lead.

What's your experience with the Hero's Journey? Have you felt that post-transformation "now what?" moment? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

And stay tuned – in my next post, we'll explore how this complete Hero's Journey applies specifically to thought leaders. If you are an expert who has reached mastery, you won't want to miss it.

👩🏼 I am Ioana Lucretia.

🫵🏻 My mission is to find you. The Expert who is on a mission to impact the world and support you to emerge as a Thought Leader.

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