Who is Your Hero?

So, there I was, I had just finished speaking in Raleigh, North Carolina, and this young woman came up to me after the program and said “Hey G.A. I’m just curious, who’s your hero?” 

I thought for a moment and paused, suspended in awe that the answer didn’t come to me immediately. This was a great question, and I had never really pondered… who is my hero? In the seconds awaiting a response, I couldn’t honestly answer her.  

I could have taken the easy way out and responded with some famous person, but I let her know that I didn’t have an answer for her, and that I would get back to her on who this person was.  

So, on the long plane ride home, I sat in the dark cabin, with swirling thoughts about this unnamed hero. I imagined it could be a great leader from our history books… or something that hit even closer to home, one of my mentors.  

Then it hit me. 

You have to be your own hero! 

You can't count on anyone else to be your hero. You have to ask yourself, "What am I doing today?", "Is this helping me?", and "Is this the right thing to do?".  

Especially when no one is looking...  

So, to the young woman who asked me who my hero was, I think that each of us has to be our own hero and do the right thing. Think about it, what a great world this would be if we were all trying to be our own hero.