7 Ways to be Your Own Hero

Do you need a hero? 

You’ve made mistakes. You’ve made a few bad choices. You’ve had some bad luck. However, the game isn’t over yet. There is a hero that will come and rescue you from your current life: You. 

Everyone has the capacity to be the hero in their life story. See how you can be your hero: 

1. Fully embrace the idea that no one else is coming to save you. It would be nice if someone saved you, but you can’t count on it. 

• If you want to be a hero to yourself, you have to take all the blame and responsibility. When you blame others, you give up the power to change your life in a positive way. 
• Heroes are able to get things done, even if help is scarce. A hero doesn’t care if they have to do it all. They relish the idea of taking on a big challenge by themselves. It makes the victory that much sweeter. 
• Many of us learned to play the helpless card in childhood. Our parents would rush in to save us from the mess we created. At some point, it’s necessary to manage your own messes. 

2. Make a plan. A hero needs a plan. Doing something amazing requires thought and planning. And heroes have big, bold plans. Throw caution and sensibility to the wind and make a plan worthy of a hero. Just avoid being too ridiculous, 

3. Take action. Thinking and planning are essential, but nothing happens until action is taken. Take action as soon as possible. Take the biggest action you can. 

• For example, if you need a job, why apply to three jobs per day when you have time to apply to 10? Forget about what the average person would do. Heroes aren’t average. 

4. Reject excuses. Excuses are for average people. Heroes ignore excuses and make things happen. Obstacles are overcome. Naysayers are ignored. The urge to quit is denied. 

5. Think. Sometimes, people in dire straights get busy, but fail to make adjustments. They’re so focused and determined that they miss opportunities to refine their approach. Avoid being so single-minded in your purpose that you stop thinking and evaluating. 

6. Raise your standards. Why do people get stuck and fail to make progress? In many cases, they simply don’t care. When your standards are met, you get satisfied and lazy. 

• For example, if you think to yourself, “$50k/year is good enough. It’s a decent salary, and I can comfortably pay my bills,” you’re not likely to ever earn $250k/year. 
• Higher standards lead directly to better results. Heroes must have high standards. 
• Your life will stabilize at the level of your standards. Take a look at your life and prove it to yourself. Someone who’s satisfied with carrying an extra 40 pounds has a different appearance than someone with higher standards. 

7. Be true to your values and preferences. A hero is able to go his own way. You have values and your own way of doing things. A hero respects those things about himself and refuses to sacrifice them to appease others. A hero lives his values and reaches his goals without sacrificing those values. 

Imagine that you knew someone in your situation. What advice would you give them to turn it around quickly? That’s a great place to start! Be bold and create a plan. Imagine that you’re the hero in the movie of your life. What would a hero do in that situation? Figure it out and do it.