Why are we constantly in the search of heroes?

Mariah Carey Called It: The Hero Lies in ME.

Picture this:?

• We hail our cricketers and celebrate them like Gods till they fail and then we burn effigies;?
• We build temples in the name of our movie stars till some murky detail from their private lives emerges and they are ostracised;?
• We show unquestioning adulation towards our politicians allowing them the license to misuse their power, till generations later there is a revolution;?
• We make “successful’ corporate leaders #posterboys imagining that by idolizing them, our lives will follow the same script until the next new whiz kid comes along;?
• We make “relatable” unknown social media “influencers” and watch as they become “paid products” leveraging their influence

Why are we constantly in the search of #heroes to make better sense of our lives?

Like Naval Ravikant says

My 1 repeated learning in life: There Are No Adults’. Everyone’s making it up as they go along. Figure it out yourself, and do it.

I think our need for heroes is the beginning of all problems. The need to put someone on a pedestal and believe they are perfect and have all the answers sets both them and us up for failure. Instead, can we dig deeper and take responsibility to write our own scripts with their unique opportunities and challenges? Instead of looking for heroes can we look for heroic qualities and inspiring moments?

• Hima Das Golden Race: I can watch this moment of Hima Das crossing the finishing line and be endlessly inspired. It makes me want to push myself harder, not make her my “hero”
• Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Speech I get goosebumps when I watch Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement speech at Stanford and makes me want to have my own inspiring story to tell and definitely not want to be Steve jobs
• The Voice India Kids: This moment of two boys singing in unison and so unhindered makes me want to hold on to the same sense of purity and authenticity
• I find young Greta Thunberg’s sense of purpose inspiring. I want to dig deeper for my own purpose and not make her a poster girl
• Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s young Prime Minister’s Leadership during the COVID crisis is a case study for what leadership should look like and not how to be a hero

And then there are the everyday moments and people who are undeniably inspiring - making one want to be kinder, braver, smarter, etc. There are also those who come as close to being heroes as possible; the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King. I aspire to find their qualities in me and not be them.?

It’s time to stop NEEDING heroes and devouring endless “self-help” books. Even Yo Yo Honey Singh has words of wisdom when he says

Jab kamyabi aati hai to banda sikhaane lag jaata hai,?jab nakami aati hai to banda sikhne lagta hai

Let’s dig deeper into ourselves - our own scripts are inspiring. Mariah Carey may not have been too off the mark when she said - the hero lies in (you) me!