“The only things that are certain in life are death and taxes.” If Ben Franklin lived in the 21st century, he would add to that the fascination the general public has over reality shows and superhero movies.
I’ll focus on the latter. We all have our favorite superhero. We debate which ones are better than others, who would win in a fight, what the best power would be, and so on and so forth. Some people are even inclined to nominate them for Man Crush Monday and Woman Crush Wednesday (perennial contenders including Scarlett Johansson, obviously). But in real life, heroes are a bit different.
There are likely many heroic qualities about you. As anyone who has read books or watched TV or movies will say, there are a few key characteristics for making a good hero. These traits vary in importance, terminology, and mechanisms from purpose to purpose, but for me they are flawed but with talent, they have a goal/purpose, are selfless, and follow a philosophy self-imposed by them.
Flawed and Talented
We all have a talent or hobby that separates us from everyone else. If you don’t think you have one, you’re either neglecting it or you haven’t found it yet. However, while you are certainly better at your talent then a lot of people, there are still many people who are your equals or even superiors. They could be rivals, mentors, or enemies. These people teach you new things, inspire you to do better, or even give you a specific milestone to reach for. Using the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for example. They are great at weaponry and martial arts, and they use each other to train and grow stronger. They’re not quite at Master Splinter’s level, their mentor, and their main enemy, the Shredder, is an incredibly skilled warrior. If you stick with your talent or skill long enough, one day you could be the standard people set themselves to.
Goal/Purpose Oriented
What is it you want to do in life? It can be as specific as breaking a world record, or it can be as broad as living every day of your life to the fullest. I don’t think many of us can relate to Katniss Everdeen’s goals of protecting her family and eventually overthrowing the corrupt government that threatened them. But once we establish a goal or purpose, it allows us to accomplish great things, or at least motivates us further. That’s why so many people have calendars, planners, and other reminders in the hopes that it’ll help us stay on top of these things and get the job (usually small jobs, but sometimes big ones) done.
Selfless
A key part of being heroic is doing things for others and making a positive impact in the world around you. There exist few bigger heroes in soccer, or sports in general, than Brazilian legend Pele. If I listed everything he’s accomplished in his career and life, this would be a much longer article. But long story short, not only has he given his country something to smile about and made them proud, he gave back to them as well as being an advocate for various good causes. These include being an environmental ambassador for the United Nations, and supporting various important causes such as ending racism and world hunger. He used his fame and legacy for many projects that did not really have anything to do with him, but he was a beacon of hope and positivity. We have opportunities every day to help someone in big or small ways. Volunteering at a homeless or animal shelter, tutoring students, helping clean up after a party or event, or even simply wishing someone has a good day or does well in an assignment and meaning it. Showing interest and compassion. Being a hero doesn’t have to be flashy; it has to be selfless.
Philosophy
As Iron Man said in "Captain America: Civil War," “If we can’t accept limitations, we are no better than bad guys.” You can think of various people ranging from the military to martial art practitioners (such as Daniel LaRusso and Kesuke Miyagi) who follow a set of guidelines that dictate how they respond to many situations and generally how they live their lives. Oftentimes these philosophies come from people who train or take care of us as a kid. Others develop their own philosophies. This is a tricky test: the ability to know when to abide and when to violate your personal code dictates your success. Oftentimes your moral compass points you in a different direction than your cerebral logic. Striking the balance is always something to strive for.
The key thing to remember from all this is that these are all qualities you can possess. They aren’t exclusive to fictional characters like Yugi Moto, Goku, Batman, or Optimus Prime. They aren’t exclusive to historic figures like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, or Pope John Paul II. And they definitely aren’t exclusive to modern exemplaries like J.K. Rowling, Bill Nye, or Morgan Freeman. You have what it takes to be a hero. Never forget this. Be true to yourself, be confident in yourself, and always do your best.
