One of the hallmarks of successful and effective people is a deep sense of purpose and intention.  Without this deep sense, it is easy to get lost in the infinite dramas of everyday life, to be pulled by the many forces trying to use you in one way or another. By sensing and aligning with an inner calling, it is possible to steer one’s life course in a meaningful way. One of the best models for describing this path is the “Hero’s Journey,” first described by the mythologist Joseph Campbell (1949) in his seminal book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 
 

Campbell examined stories of heroes, historical and mythical, spanning all ages, cultures, religions and genders. He noted how across many cultures and throughout time there has been a common deep structure pattern—that is, a basic myth—about a person who lived an extraordinary life that brought new gifts and transformations to both self and community.