Creating the Hero’s Journey for Your Audience as a Speaker, Coach, or Consultant

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I love studying the architecture of stories - how different stories are built and all the elements that we see working together.

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and thought, “Huh, this story sounds a lot like that other story in that one book or movie…”

It’s because there are patterns of stories we tend to follow as a society and in different cultures.

One of the key story structures we see throughout history is what is now known as the Hero’s Journey.

Thousands and thousands of stories seem to follow this story structure. From ancient stories to modern-day Hollywood blockbusters, there is the story of a hero who sets off on a quest to accomplish one burning desire or conquer a challenge.

Joseph Campbell wrote a fantastic book called “The Hero With a Thousand Faces” in which he talks about the twelve stages or steps of the Hero’s Journey. It’s a fascinating read if you’re interested in studying the structure of stories.

Over the next few minutes, we’re going to work through each stage one by one, and I’m going to share some ideas on how to connect your audience’s story within each stage.

Stage 01: The Ordinary World

The first stage in the Hero’s Journey is what we call the ‘Ordinary World’.

Think of Luke Skywalker on Tatooine or Katniss in District 12 or Frodo in the Shire.

This is their everyday status quo - nothing too exciting, mostly a comfortable, same old-same old everyday routine.

This is where life is normal before the adventure begins.

Think about your audience: what is their everyday life look like right now? They may not realize it, but there is at least one unmet desire or problem under the surface that needs to change.

One of the characteristics of the Ordinary World is a lack of awareness. We don’t know what we don’t know - and that includes what we don’t cognitively realize.

Here is the question you need to ask about your audience in their Ordinary World: “What do they not realize?”

Until you realize what they’re missing or not aware of, then you cannot help them start on their Hero’s Journey with your message.

That’s your first step as a rising thought leader: identify what your audience isn’t aware of.

Stage 02: Call to Adventure

One of my favorite stories is the Lord of the Rings.

What makes it one of my favorites is how understated Frodo’s quest is from the beginning. Bilbo gives Frodo the ring of power, and when it’s realized the danger of the ring, Gandalf tells Frodo he needs to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom.

There’s no mention of Orcs, dragons, elves, dangers, none of that in the beginning - only a call to adventure. Journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring.

Every audience I’ve ever met is looking for a call to adventure. Not just any adventure, but an adventure that stirs something deep and powerful inside their hearts.

Your audience may not be ready for an extreme adventure that completely throws them out of their comfort zone.

That’s not the point: the point is to help them transition from Stage 1, their Ordinary World, into the Call to Adventure. As I mentioned yesterday, your job in the Ordinary World is to identify what your audience is missing - what do they not realize? What are they unaware of?

And from there, then you can share the vision for the adventure you want to take your audience on.

What’s the adventure your audience needs to embrace when you open their eyes to what they didn’t realize?

Stage 03: Refusing the Call

We covered the first two stages of the Hero’s Journey.

• The first stage is the Ordinary World - this is where life is normal and comfortable.
• The second stage is the Call to Adventure - this is where you help your audience learn what they didn’t realize or were unaware of.

The reality is there are people in your audience who aren’t comfortable with changing their status quo.

That’s normal - we crave comfort. As human beings we crave the predictable, comfortable, don’t-change-anything status quo.

It’s also the third stage of the Hero’s Journey, the Refusal of the Call.

If you’re familiar with Star Wars, this is where Luke Skywalker says he’s not ready to be a Jedi. He’d rather stay on Tatooine with his aunt and uncle.

What’s the driving force behind refusing the call? It’s fear. It’s the fear of the unknown, and it’s the fear of the known.

Your audience has fears, concerns, worries, questions, these are all objections and reasons why they shouldn’t answer the call.

Your job is to help your audience recognize those objections and not dismiss them. There’s a reason why your audience feels that way.

If you want your audience to have a heroic experience, you need to help them identify the source of their questions and fears, talk through them, and show them what it would look like to replace those questions and fears with answers and confidence.

Stage 04: Meeting with the Mentor

We started with the first stage in the Hero’s Journey - the Ordinary World. It’s safe and comfortable.

And then, the second stage is our Call to Adventure. We bring awareness to our audience and give them a choice: choose to come with me on an adventure, or stay in the safety of status quo.

This can bring up fears and questions, the third stage of the Hero’s Journey is refusing to accept the call. This is the fork in the road - and it’s our job as speakers, coaches, and consultants to address those questions and concerns without downplaying them.

It’s easy to believe is we're the hero in the Hero’s Journey.

That’s wrong - we’re actually the mentors.

It’s our job in the fourth stage of the Hero’s Journey to connect with our audience and show our credibility as a mentor.

Your audience needs you to show why you’re the one to follow, to share the wisdom or enlightenment they need to help them get ready for the journey ahead.

If you’re a health and wellness coach, your clients need to see that you have the results and certifications that can help them safely and effectively experience a healthier lifestyle.

They get the heroic experience because you’ve proven you’re a mentor worth following.

Think about your audience: how can you show up as a mentor with the wisdom they need to hear today?

Stage 05: Crossing the First Threshold

The fifth stage of the Hero’s Journey is crossing the first threshold. It’s where your audience leaves their ordinary world or everyday routine and starts going in a new direction.

What is the first step or crossing of the threshold of the journey where your audience knows things are starting to be different?

Maybe it’s starting a new workout routine or going to counseling or delegating more responsibilities to start building a team instead of trying to do it all on your own.

Whatever it may be, it requires courage to take the first step. And, it’s where your support as their new mentor is so important.

Be there for them today. Encourage them. Check in with them. Make that call. Send that email. Show up in their messages.

Crossing the Threshold is about recognizing that your audience’s path looks different than before, and you’re going to be with them every step of the way.

Stage 06: Tests, Allies, and Enemies

We’re halfway through the Hero’s Journey. By now, you’ve seen how your message can invite your audience to leave their Ordinary World in search of a better tomorrow by following you on an adventure.

Well, it’s time to buckle up because your audience is getting ready to experience some bumps with this next part.

It’s the sixth stage of the Hero’s Journey - Tests, Allies, and Enemies.

Any time you shake up someone’s status quo, the rules change.

That’s where your audience starts to see things aren’t going to be easy. The early morning workouts are going to be miserable coming back from vacation. The conflict with new team members is going to cause a headache. Their first date with their spouse in three months ends in a fight because old wounds are still open.

Whatever the situation may be, this could be the breaking point for your audience. They may say, “This isn’t worth it!” or “This is too hard!” or “I’m not strong enough to handle this!”

These are the tests that show us who our enemies are and also who may be our allies. How can you show your audience today that you’re right there with them in the challenging times? You have the chance to be their greatest ally.

It's about proving to your audience they have what it takes to succeed.

Stage 07: Approach

When your audience faces challenges, there’s a good chance they’re going to experience setbacks.

Maybe it’s falling off their new eating schedule or blowing up at the spouse or going on a shopping spree when they’re already working to get out of debt.

It’s where failure can start to cloud their thinking.

It’s also the seventh stage in the Hero’s Journey - Approach. It’s time to regroup and take another look at how you’re approaching your challenges.

In many cases, it’s reminding your audience that there’s a process to follow. It’s sharing stories about other clients you have who experienced the same type of setbacks in the same stage of their journey.

This is also the time when many clients have tried to do things their own way without following a proven process. It may mean you need to have a direct, no-punches-pulled conversation with them about why your process is designed the way it is and why trying to do things their own way hasn’t gotten them the results they wanted before meeting you.

This seventh stage is without a doubt one of the most uncomfortable parts of the Hero’s Journey, but it’s also the turning point for so many people.

Stage 08: The Showdown

Once your audience revisits their Approach, it oftens accelerates their journey towards the one big challenge they’ve been leading up to through the entire Hero’s Journey.

The eighth stage of the Hero’s Journey is the Showdown.

It’s the fire-breathing dragon that represents their greatest fears or biggest crisis.

It’s also often the one thing standing in their way between their current situation and true success.

What is the fire-breathing dragon that represents the greatest obstacle or challenge your audience is facing that’s keeping them from true success?

This isn’t a hard stage to describe: it’s the heavyweight death match that your audience is dreading. This is the fight that will define who they are and why they even started on this journey in the first place.

And, it’s unavoidable. The good news is the reward for winning the fight is a life your audience can only dream of right now.

As the mentor, you can’t fight the dragon for your audience, but you can show them the best way you know how to fight and defeat the greatest obstacle so they can start enjoying the life they really want to experience.

Stage 09: Reward

If you’ve ever ran a marathon or experienced a tremendous win, then you know the euphoria of victory.

It’s the same feeling your audience is craving. The ninth stage of the Hero’s Journey is the Reward. It’s where you walked with your audience through the eighth stage of the Showdown and you watched them slay their biggest challenge.

Now is where your audience gets their reward. If you’re a health and wellness coach, it’s the Before and After photos where your client is proud to be wearing their swimsuit again. If you’re a business coach, it’s the photos from Cabos that your client sends you after taking their first vacation in two years.

That’s the reward, the sweet, sweet victory that your audience is craving. You don’t have to wait until your audience reaches this point to talk about the Reward.

The best time to start talking about the Reward is during the second stage, the Call to Adventure. If you follow my process, then this could be your Reward. Talk about their reward in your sales copy, your videos, your emails, your conversations.

Paint a picture where your audience knows they have a Reward they can’t wait to experience.

Stage 10: The Road Back

We’re coming to a close on the Hero’s Journey as our audiences see the change. They go through the tests, they defeat their greatest challenges, those things that are really holding them back, and now it’s the tenth stage, the road back to the everyday life.

This is where reminders and memories are so crucial.

We get to remind our audiences where they were when we first connected with them in their Ordinary World.

We talk about the fears and questions they had when we first called them to join us on this adventure.

We share about how our processes or frameworks were designed to give them results.

We visually take them back into the Showdown with their greatest challenge and how they won, they defeated their dragon.

This is where we celebrate their experience. Today is about making a big deal out of the growth and change you see in the clients who trust you and got great results.

Send them an email. Give them a call. Show them those moments and celebrate with them today.

Stage 11: Resurrection

The next-to-last stage in the Hero’s Journey may be the deadliest.

This is the Resurrection stage - the moment when the draw and opportunity to revert to the way things were starts to entice your audience.

Maybe they lost the weight, but it’s now six months later and there isn’t the accountability as there was during the boot camp.

Maybe they’re out of debt and starting to invest their money, but a can’t-miss sale was just announced at their favorite store.

This is the most dangerous stage because it’s the lethal allure of routine.

They’re faced with reverting to the only everyday life they knew before connecting with you.

It’s also where you need to call out this deception: they can’t afford to go back to the way things were.

That’s why this is called the Resurrection of the Hero: they rise out of the ashes of who they used to be and recognize their change.

They’ve worked too hard, overcome too much, and made so much progress only to trade it all for where they used to be.

This stage is about killing the lie of the familiar for your audience - there’s a reason why they were unsatisfied and unfulfilled before this journey started.

It’s your job to remind them why they started with you in the first place.

Stage 12: Returning with the Elixir

The twelfth and final stage of the Hero’s Journey is what I call Returning with the Elixir. If your audience is a client, this is the stage where their best friends or spouse or siblings start commenting on the difference.

It’s when people see the transformation, they see your client is different than a few months ago.

What is the reason your client will give for their transformation?

The story you want them to share is their Hero’s Journey.

Most importantly, it’s where you show up in their story that shows they had the strength and you simply showed them the way and walked with them through every stage of their journey.

This is where testimonials are so essential. Try to capture your client’s journey in a video or a written testimonial that you can share. The best testimonials are where the before-and-after details are shared. That shows other prospects and audiences that they can have the same type of experience because we find our stories in the stories of others.

And that’s the Hero’s Journey, twelve simple steps that show the world you will do what it takes to help your audience have a better tomorrow starting today.

Do Your Clients Feel Heroic?

You may be thinking, “But, I don’t really think my product or service is that heroic.” Maybe you even doubt the impact you can create or you're buried in Imposter Syndrome, starting to second-guess your impact.

Here’s the one truth I want you to hold onto today: you are extraordinary.

If you give an ‘ish’ about your audience, then you are already prepared to help your clients, your readers, your subscribers, whoever it is that’s listening to you, you’re prepared to help them have a heroic experience.

It may not seem that flashy and you may even think your topic or industry is boring. I guarantee that you hold a heroic message inside that people are starving to hear from you.

It starts with believing that what you have to offer has the power to change someone else’s world. Don’t even worry about changing the whole world right now - focus on changing one person’s world. And another’s. And another’s.

And then, you’ll start to see that what you’re creating is a heroic experience where your audience has the confidence and peace to conquer the challenges right in from of them.

Believing you can is the kickstart you need to change someone else’s world with your message today.

What are some ways you're guiding your audience through the Hero's Journey with your message?

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The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing is presented by Jon Cook, founder of Keynote Content. Jon and his team help thought leaders, namely speakers, coaches, and consultants, craft and share their messages to better serve their audiences. Connect with Jon and his team at Keynote Content by visiting keynotecontent.com. You can subscribe to The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing by visiting bit.ly/KeynoteClarity and enabling it there. Then, all you have to say is, “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?”