Don't Be A Hero

Not Until You Do This...

A group of researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University had a hypothesis:

Since superheroes embody aspirational lives, they likely motivate people to do things that benefit others. AKA — be less selfish.

Participants in the study were led into a small laboratory room with one of two posters on the wall.

1. A poster of Superman

or

2. A poster of a bicycle

As it turned out, their hypothesis was actually correct!

Those exposed to the Superman poster ended up agreeing to help with an additional “non-credited” task at a higher clip than those who had a bicycle poster on the wall instead.

They thought they were really on to something. But imagine their surprise when their 2nd hypothesis fell flat.

• Hypothesis 1:

  • Exposure to superhero images will increase prosocial behavior. ✅

• Hypothesis 2:

  • Exposure to superhero images will increase meaning in life. ❌

• Hypothesis 3:

  • The effect of exposure to superhero images on meaning in life will occur via increased prosocial behavior. ❓❓❓

    

The thing about the hero poster is that it allows us to look beyond our basic instincts. To rise to a higher form of ourselves.

But only for a few fleeting moments.

When The Hero Hits The Ceiling

While the researchers noted that the superhero prime increased “helping behavior”, it aint do nothing to affect them in the long-term.

So while our heroes can give us temporary motivation, we need to use that fuel on an already existing mission. I think this is where most people slip.

Motivation without a true goal is just energy with nowhere to go.

If we’re not careful, we can spend our whole lives storing energy that we’ll never actually use.

• new books

• new podcasts

• new workout programs

• new girls

• New Years… on and on

You keep pouring fuel into a car with no engine. The gas accumulates but just sits til it evaporates or goes bad. Eventually, you stop believing the fuel was ever real.

---

Before motivation can really do its thing, you first have to find a mission you’re willing to die for.

Aight, maybe that’s a little bit strong and theatrical, but it has to be something from deep within, ok.

• Something strong enough to get you through 1,000 nah’s.

• So strong that your fear of not doing it is worse than your fear of failure.

Only after you find that engine will the fuel you pick up have somewhere to go.

My Engine

I believe storytelling should reflect deep truth, but also be aspirational.

It should highlight flaws — and punish those flaws — while showing how they often present as “positives” on the surface.

It should reward truly good traits that the primary world often ignores, providing context for the way things should be.

I think storytelling is the key to reaching the heart, and when it's done right, it’s a supernatural experience.

When it's treated poorly, like it has been in Hollywood and in a lot of journalism, the world as a whole is worse off for it.

If people can be primed to do a good deed by a single poster, bro imagine what a well-crafted story can do!!!

For nearly a decade, I’ve tried to contribute (in my way) to the tradition of storytellers who feel like I do. I’ve tried to affect my little corner of the internet with the type of storytelling that means everything to me.

Some of my takes on story might seem a bit extreme, but I’m VERY serious about what I’m saying and doing.

There’s no pressure for you to agree with me, but everyone should probably feel this strongly about something.

Whatever that thing is… that’s your engine.

Now that motivation from the hero on the wall has somewhere to nest.

That core mission or engine or purpose or burden or —whatever you wanna call it — helps on the days when you’re feeling discouraged.

It helps on the days when you feel unsupported.

It even helps on the days when you feel like you suck.

Because on those days, you can take solace in the fact that they are just single days — moments in time, or even prolonged seasons of life — but the mission is always bigger than a single battle.

As long as you've got at least one move left, the war aight over.

So lock the F… in!!!

Once you have an engine, or if you already have yours. Don’t panic every time you have to slow down. Expect pit stops and learn to appreciate them. The race is long, and you won't finish trying to avoid maintenance.

Leave a like if you enjoyed. Preciate it bro!