Be the Hero of Your Life

This spirited guide from life coach MacMillan (Monetize Your Message) assembles self-help concepts inspired by the work of literature professor Joseph Campbell (1904–1987), designed to teach readers how to reclaim the narrative of their life. After rising up the ranks at Sprint to become a project manager and then moving on to a lucrative career as a marketing consultant, MacMillan reached a point in his life where he was thriving financially, but also stressed-out and deeply unhappy. While suffering chronic, debilitating shoulder pain, he was told he needed to live a healthier lifestyle and, during an epiphanic moment in the shower, decided he would become the hero of his own story. Realizing many of his ideas about reimagining one’s personal narrative as a means for transformation came from the theories of Joseph Campbell, MacMillan then set about understanding how to live a good life through the three phases of what Campbell dubbed “the hero’s journey”: departure, initiation, and return. Taking cues largely from popular culture, MacMillan breaks his visualization and actualization principles (where thoughts can influence actions) into 12 parts, which he explains using characters from movies, such as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Exercises and worksheets exploring how to find one’s calling, set off on an adventure, and choose a mentor will help readers navigate their own personal narratives. While readers looking for research-based advice will be disappointed, those who already believe in visualization and actualization techniques will find MacMillan’s suggestions worth a look. (BookLife)