The Hero's Journey is a monomyth that was first popularized by Joseph Campbell to describe the transformation journey that has been found in multiple epic stories that have been told over the generations.
This monomyth holds a truth that is authentic to our journey of personal or organizational transformation.
When you are embarking on a path of transformation, one must become comfortable with being uncomfortable. This journey is challenging in ways that we could not imagine. To embark, one must have the courage to walk into the unknown. That courage comes from a deep sense of purpose - that which we call the Audacious Aspiration.
There are times, though, of deep despair. These are times when the challenges that need to be overcome seem unsurmountable and it feels like you are lost in an Abyss.
But in from these moments, a Surprising Insight is illuminated that lights the path to a solution, our home. These revelations are transmutational experiences that underpin transformation.
The hero returns, but profoundly changed, empowered and transformed by the journey.
See also Short History of Story