When I spoke about becoming a hero in Southern California last week, a question that arose from the audience was why I was suggesting that heroes had to be people who changed the world. After all, wasn't the daily struggle of caring for one's family sometimes heroic in its scope? Didn't a hero sometimes save only one person instead of hundreds or thousands?

I think both of these statements are true. They are simply not the type of heroism I'm talking about. The purpose of holding up as role models people who have made a difference on a global scale is to inspire us to look beyond our daily lives and immediate surroundings. If we are to truly step into our own greatness in order to be of greater service, we need to think bigger than we ever have before. That's why the people I am suggesting we emulate appear to be larger than life.

Is this an expectation? Am I saying that everyone should try to be an international hero? Think of it rather as an invitation. The opportunity exists for you to make more of a contribution than you currently are and to better the lives of more people. In order to do that, you will need to get past your own self-imposed limitations. Learning the stories of larger-than-life heroes can help inspire you to do the hard work this requires. So, if this mission calls to you, then it is you I am speaking to.

Here are some of the heroes I mentioned in my talk:

Jane Addams (1860-1935) was an American social worker and reformer. In 1889 she co-founded Hull House in Chicago, which was one of the first settlement houses in the United States. Settlement houses were a type of welfare housing for the neighborhood poor and a center for social reform. She was a member of the American Anti-Imperialist League, and a founder of both the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. She was also a leader in women's suffrage and pacifist movements. She received the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Dalai Lama (1935-present) was ruler of Tibet and its head of state until 1959, when he fled to India following the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet. He is the most respected and venerated Tibetan Buddhist religious leader. The Dalai Lama is still recognized as the head of the Tibetan government in exile, except by supporters of Chinese communism. He is the leader of the Tibetan independence movement.

Joan of Arc (1412-1431) is a national heroine of France and saint of the Catholic Church. During the Hundred Years' War she led French forces against the English. Against all odds, she defeated the English at the siege of Orléans as well as in a series of subsequent battles, enabling the coronation of the King Charles VII in Rheims. Captured by the Burgundians, she was delivered to the English, who had a selected group of pro-English clergy condemn her for heresy. She was executed by burning at the stake in Rouen.

I'll be mentioning more international heroes like these in future posts.

Labels: hero stories, heroism, social action

I'll be visiting the Los Angeles area next week to speak on the topic of How to Become a Hero to the Los Angeles chapter of the International Coach Federation. If you are in the area, I would love to have you join the conversation. Here's what we will be discussing:

HOW TO BECOME A HERO: Stepping Into Your Own Greatness to be of Service to Others

Personal power is contagious. When you fully step into your own power as a coach, you can empower your clients to be their greatest. When you hold yourself small, you keep your clients there, too. Learn how empowering your clients requires you to become a hero, a five-step path to developing heroic qualities, and how you can coach others to find their heroic selves.

The program will take place on Wed. Mar 16 from 6:00-8:30 PM at Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. Please reserve through ICF-LA if you would like to attend.

On the same trip, I'll be speaking at two Barnes & Noble stores about my new book Get Hired Now!. Come say hello at Barnes & Noble Del Amo in Torrance on Tue. Mar 15 from 7:30-9:00 PM, or at Barnes & Noble Metro Point in Costa Mesa on Thu. Mar 17 from 7:00-9:00 PM.

Also, if you're in Northern California, I'll be celebrating the launch of Get Hired Now! with a booksigning reception in San Francisco on Thu. Mar 24 from 6:00-8:00 PM at The Canvas Gallery. Join me for complimentary snacks, schmoozing, and a reading from my new book. Please contact me to RSVP if you would like to attend.

Labels: heroism