A Hero

What constitutes a hero?  Have you ever thought about it?  When I was a kid, I had to write a paper on who my hero was.  In fact, I had to write several papers about who my heroes were.  And do you know what?  I always had the same two answers.  I would actually alternate between the two of them.  My two heroes are my dad and my Grandpa Bennion.
Although I would pay money to see these two in tights and capes, they have never physically worn them.  Neither of them would win any weight lifting contests.  Even though my dad wanted me to believe that he had x-ray vision and could see everything that I was doing, I know that he doesn't.

So, if they don't have super powers, why have I always considered them my heroes?

It is because they are who I want to become.

Both my dad and my grandpa have an incredible amount of wisdom.  I have been the recipient of this wisdom on many occasions.  My dad is always teaching me to use discernment to decide between two choices.  He has made me write countless lists when I have struggled in my personal life, my family life and even with my future.  My dad has always used the scriptures to teach me life lessons and to help me see what my priorities are.  He raised me on the book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and taught me about business and investments.  My dad has always encouraged me to strive to make myself better.  This is why he is my hero.
My grandpa is my hero because of his quiet example of brilliance.  I have watched him quietly dedicate all that he has to everything that he does.  When my grandpa gets asked to do something, he doesn't just do it quickly but takes the time to make sure that everything is done well.  I admire him for this.  I love him for this.  My grandpa has never had to tell me that he has a testimony of Jesus Christ, I simply know it because I have watched his countenance change whenever he is doing something that emulates the Savior.

So, what does being a hero have to do with my Introduction to Entrepreneurship class?  Well, when I watched a video about a "Hero's Journey" it got me thinking about the importance of being a hero.  In order for me to understand how to become a hero, I had to reflect on my own heroes.  In the video, it is suggested that we guide our lives by three questions.  These questions are the following:

1 - Have I contributed something meaningful?
2 - Am I a good person?
3 - Who did I love and who loved me?

I believe that by seeking our own personal answers to these three questions, we embark on a hero's quest.  In trying to understand what I can contribute to the world, the speaker in the video suggests that I find where my God given gifts intersect with what gives me joy.  I believe that I have found this answer and am currently working on making this happen.  However, I can't help but think about my two heroes and wonder if they have found the answer to this question?  As I have reflected upon this, I have come to realize that both of my heroes have not only found their callings in life, but have used these to create something meaningful in this world.  My dad and my grandpa have both finished this road in the journey.
Next is the question, Am I a good person?.  In my class we had to set ethical guardrails.  These are the statements of "I will not" that set the guardrails on our journey.  In other words, these guardrails help us to figure out what our moral groundwork is so that we can progress on our journey.  Although I have just written mine down, I know, without a doubt, that both my father and grandfather have set these guardrails up in their lives and have not crossed them.  I do not even have to ask what my dad or my grandpa stand for because it is evident in everything they do.  Have I completely accomplished this yet?  When people think about me, do they immediately know what I stand for?  That's something I have to keep asking myself as I continue on my quest to become a hero.
My favorite question is the last one - Who did I love and who loved me?  We tend to surround ourselves with people that we wish to emulate.  When I look at the people I am blessed to associate with, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the many people that influence my life.  What, then, do I give them in return?  Am I as big of a blessing in their lives as they are in mine?  Do they know how much I care about them?  As a rule, I always tell my family that I love them before I leave them.  This way, even if we were fighting when I leave them, if something should happen to either of us, we can be secure in the knowledge that the last words that we ever spoke to each other were the words, "I love you".  I have to say that there is something incredibly powerful when, before I hang up the phone, I hear my grandpa's aging voice declare that he loves me.  This gives me strength.  My hero loves me, so I need to make sure that I live up to his legacy.

While I know that I am not a hero yet, I am loving learning about the journey.  I love thinking about what I am learning and applying them into my life.  I believe that I am learning so much more than about business, I am learning how to be a better person, mother, wife, daughter, etc.  If I can use this knowledge that I am gaining to be successful in all areas of my life then maybe one day I, too, can become a hero.