{"id":27,"date":"2025-07-07T08:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T08:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roguepriest.net\/?page_id=27"},"modified":"2025-07-07T17:03:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T17:03:13","slug":"the-heroic-life","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/roguepriest.net\/the-heroic-life\/","title":{"rendered":"The Heroic Life | \u00a0 Rogue Priest"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Heroic Life<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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27 Comments<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Note: This is an archive of what I believed in 2010. My beliefs may have changed.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cI want to do extraordinary things,
and help others do them.
I want to feel what the epic heroes felt
Even when they were scared.\u201d<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When I was a kid I believed in heroes. The heroes I grew up with went on long journeys around the world. They had just a handful of companions, a small group of remarkable individuals whose actions had a major impact. They weren\u2019t perfect people, and they didn\u2019t always fit in, but they had a sense of purpose. And\u00a0they did great things.<\/p>

As an adult, I realized I still believe in those stories. Whether it\u2019s ancient myth or Japanese video games, the characters are\u00a0fictional but there\u2019s something very real about their journey. And part of me always expected to go on a journey of my own. As improbable as it seemed, I decided\u00a0I wasn\u2019t willing to give up that dream.<\/p>

I wanted to see for myself if a journey can lead to great things, if a person can discover meaning\u00a0simply by wandering the world. Most of all, I wanted to know if I could live the life the\u00a0ancient heroes lived and whether\u00a0I would find what they found.<\/p>

Living the Heroic Life<\/h2>

Going on a journey doesn\u2019t make someone a hero.\u00a0But I believe every human heart has the\u00a0spark, the ability to be heroic when\u00a0a hero is needed. And the journey is a good teacher of that, because it forces you to push up against the boundaries of who you are. It makes you struggle, and question yourself, and overcome your own fears and limits. In that way, the journey is preparation for heroism. It\u2019s what I call the Heroic Life.<\/p>

I\u2019ve attempted to live the Heroic Life for four years now.\u00a0Travel is my spiritual practice; adventure is my daily creed. For I believe these things change a person. We each have a purpose, a destiny we make for ourselves: if you don\u2019t know what it is, travel.\u00a0Travel and you will find it.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

Four Core Beliefs<\/h2>
At the heart of the heroic life\u00a0are four basic beliefs. Together they show you how to change yourself and change the world.<\/div>
  1. Everyone has a purpose in life.<\/strong>\u00a0There is something you\u2019re good at, that you love doing\u2014something that gives your life meaning. Know what that thing is, and pursue it.<\/li>
  2. If you don\u2019t know\u00a0your purpose, go on a journey.<\/strong>\u00a0Travel\u00a0changes the mind<\/a>\u00a0and it introduces you to exponentially more possibilities than staying put. If you don\u2019t yet have a passion in life, go on a journey. You might meet the love of your life, find a master worth learning a craft from, or simply find the place that feels like home.<\/li>
  3. Ideals, not rules.<\/strong>\u00a0I find ideals far more useful than rules. Rules are a poor substitute for a moral compass, and they don\u2019t require critical thinking. So choose your values, your ideals. Maybe Respect? Bravery? Peace? You get to choose, but\u00a0choose.<\/em>\u00a0And then stick by them.<\/li>
  4. You can do extraordinary\u00a0things.<\/strong>\u00a0Has anyone ever said something that stopped you in your tracks? Have you ever seen a master at work\u2014a musician, a martial artist, anyone\u2014doing something better or faster than you thought possible? It\u2019s almost supernatural. But you can cultivate those extraordinary abilities.\u00a0You can become so good at something, and so full of knowledge, that it\u2019s uncanny.<\/li><\/ol>

    These four principals build a life that\u2019s about more than just getting by. It\u2019s a life of passionately following what you believe in and accomplishing things that matter. The entire process bristles with the energy that comes from a sense of purpose. These are the experiences that give meaning to a human life.<\/p>

    And when you find your own purpose, you will also\u00a0change the world.\u00a0Living a life of meaning, and cleaving to your ideals, you will enrich the people and the world around you.\u00a0And you will find it much easier to make sacrifices for what is right and for the people who need you most.<\/p>

    That\u2019s why it\u2019s called the Heroic Life.<\/p>

    How to Start<\/h2>

    I don\u2019t have a sales pitch for this philosophy. There\u2019s no product to buy and no course you can take. There\u2019s only\u00a0a question to ask yourself:<\/p>

    \u201cHow\u00a0can I start my journey?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>

    This is the hardest question for most people. But if you feel it in your heart, if you dream of the journey, if you want to experience\u00a0what the heroes you grew up with experienced, then it\u2019s time to\u00a0begin your travels.<\/p>

    I\u2019m willing to help. If you dream of a journey and you aren\u2019t sure how to start, write me at\u00a0[no longer active]<\/b>.* Let\u2019s talk about it. I can\u2019t guarantee answers, but I too once thought there was no way I could leave my life behind. I didn\u2019t think I could afford it, and I was sure I had too many obligations holding me in place.<\/p>

    4,000 miles later, that old life is a distant memory. I travel freely now, and I\u00a0have found my purpose.<\/p>

    This is not a path of faith, but of action; not of hope, but of doing. If you believe in the heroic life, then now is the time to take the first step.<\/p>

    Send me an email and tell me your story.*<\/p>

    *Update:\u00a0<\/strong>Because of my busy writing work, sadly, I am no longer able to directly answer questions on starting a life of travel. Thankfully, many other big-hearted adventurers still are. I recommend you start as I did, looking for those like-minded souls who have already built a life on the road, and who are brave enough to share their stories on social media and online. Find the ones who resonate with you and learn from them \u2014 especially if they do not have a sales pitch, but merely advice to share.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

    Further Reading<\/h2>

    The readers of Rogue Priest have been a tremendous resource in clarifying, defining and expanding the Heroic Life.\u00a0There have been many posts and discussions that helped shape it, but here are a few of the favorites.<\/p>

    Note:\u00a0\u00a0These posts are now private.\u00a0Here\u2019s why I made that change.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>

    The Heroic Life<\/h5>

    What is the Heroic Life?<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 as it stands today.<\/p>

    The Tragic Joy of the Heroic Life<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 greatest thing I\u2019ve learned<\/p>

    Travel is the Root of Heroism<\/a><\/p>

    Lessons in Sacred Awe<\/a><\/p>

    \u201cCreating\u201d Heroic Encounters<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 (hint: don\u2019t do it)<\/p>

    Joseph Campbell Was Wrong (About Heroism, At Least)<\/a><\/p>

    Personal Experiences<\/h5>

    Why Heroism is My Path<\/a><\/p>

    Domestic Violence: a Less-than-Heroic Rescue<\/a><\/p>

    The Ghost and the Sea<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 contemplating mortality<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Heroic Life 27 Comments Note: This is an archive of what I believed in 2010. My beliefs may have changed. \u201cI want to do extraordinary things,and help others do them.I want to feel what the epic heroes feltEven when they were scared.\u201d When I was a kid I believed in heroes. The heroes I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"hide","_kad_post_layout":"fullwidth","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"unboxed","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"hide","_kad_post_feature":"hide","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-27","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Heroic Life | \u00a0 Rogue Priest - Rogue Priest | a philosopher's journey to meet the gods<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/roguepriest.net\/the-heroic-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Heroic Life | \u00a0 Rogue Priest - Rogue Priest | a philosopher's journey to meet the gods\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Heroic Life 27 Comments Note: This is an archive of what I believed in 2010. 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