The Call to Adventure
I see entrepreneurship as a “call to adventure”–I've always found fascination in exploring the origin of words. The origin of words gives richer meaning than the definition does. The word “adventure” has origins from as far ago as the 1300’s and comes from the French word “aventuren” which means “to risk the loss of”
Mind. Blown. 🤯 Why?
Well…
I have to set some context first, so why don’t you read on ahead and the answer will be waiting for you later in the article.
The Ordinary World.
Most of us aren’t cut out to be entrepreneurs, that’s the painful truth. Not because we don’t have what it takes… or because we aren’t talented enough or hardworking enough or resourceful enough… but simply because we aren’t willing to give up who we are today, for who we could be tomorrow.
My mentoring clients and I often talk about the desire for change. So many of us want to change our circumstances and while we might genuinely want to change… somehow sustaining that change, or getting to the next level, eludes us. The reason why this happens is simply that the subconscious benefits of staying in our comfort zone outweigh the costs of staying in our current situation.
“We don’t change because the subconscious benefits of staying in our comfort zone outweigh the costs of staying in our current situation”
Let’s take an example:
Rea is a young working professional who earns a decent salary. Despite promising himself that he’ll start setting some savings aside, Rea almost always finds himself in a situation where he’s living from pay check to pay check. It’s an exhausting “treadmill” existence where it feels like he works hard all month to earn just enough to have nothing left over.
Rea decides that he’s sick and tired of the constant exhaustion and the growing sense of resignation that overcomes him. He promises to change. But, he doesn’t. Why?
Rea doesn’t realise it but he’s at Red level on the wealth spectrum. Instant gratification has become a habit, and despite wanting to improve his financial circumstances, Rea gets a “kick” out of the release that indulging himself brings. His behaviour reinforces the idea that there’s some kind of virtue in his ability to endure the anxiety and stress he faces.
The Call to Adventure.
There’s a well known framework developed by an author called Joseph Campbell. Campbell claims that nearly all stories share a narrative structure called “The Hero’s Journey”–this journey describes the different stages of adventure that a hero goes through.
We’ve spoken about the ordinary world. This is the hero’s day to day, often mundane life at the beginning of the story. Before the adventure begins.
The hero is then faced with something that sets him on an adventure–he does this reluctantly as its often a sudden problem or challenge he has to overcome. This part is known as the call to adventure.
Let’s go back to the origin of the word “adventure”… to risk the loss of. In order to heed the call, the hero must do so knowing that he risks leaving his world of comfort and familiarity behind. That is what is demanded of every aspiring entrepreneur who decides that his dreams are worth risking his current reality for.
Mind blown right?? Now you know why 😋
This was true for my own experience, and is true once again for me now as I set out to equip creative entrepreneurs with the courage, community and companionship that every hero who sets out on an epic journey will invariably lean on. It’s why I created my 3 week intensive program called… wait for it… The Call to Adventure.
That moment when you set out on your own personal journey, to find your own personal legend is a defining moment. I challenged myself to support as many entrepreneurs as I could on this journey, that I’ve decided to offer the Call to Adventure for no charge whatsoever. Yes it’s absolutely free.
All I ask if you to risk the loss of who you used to be, and commit yourself fully to discovering who you’ve been waiting to become.
If you’ve heard the call, now’s the time to answer. Click that lovely green button above and let’s do this. To make sure that I deliver a high quality, meaningful experience to adventurers, I’m limiting the entrepreneurs I’m working with, so don’t hesitate. I’ll see you on the other side of your comfort zone.
