The Hero’s Journey: Tests, Allies, and Enemies
Last week, I wrote my third post in a series focusing on the Hero’s Journey monomyth and how the VAST Journey app uses it as a framework to help users overcome challenges in the real world. (You can find the first two posts here and here.) Last time, I discussed Meeting with the Mentor and Crossing the Threshold, the stages of the Hero’s Journey in which the hero prepares for their journey by consulting with a trusted supporter and then enters the Special World. Now, I’ll be writing about the next stage: Tests, Allies, and Enemies.
The Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage is about adapting to a new set of rules within the Special World. It is often a period of rapid change for the hero. As a hero, you will be confronted with new problems and introduced to new information, concepts, people, and perspectives that you have never considered before. Along the way, you may also learn more about yourself by trying new things and engaging in self-reflection.
As I mentioned in the last blog post, encountering and struggling with obstacles is a crucial part of your journey. Each time you overcome an obstacle, or test, you build up skills that will help you become more successful in the long-term. The process of overcoming the first few obstacles you face will prepare you to tackle more significant obstacles you encounter further down the road. You will gradually be able to overcome larger and larger obstacles over time.
As the name suggests, you may also meet new allies during this stage of the Hero’s Journey. Interacting with new people can help you change your perspective and learn new things. This is especially valuable when you are adapting to new circumstances after Crossing the Threshold into the Special World. The people you meet during this stage can offer support on your journey and beyond. They may even become lifelong friends.
For example, your challenge may be pursuing a college degree after graduating high school. In the Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage of your Hero’s Journey, you will attend your first college classes and interact with your fellow students as you adjust to life on campus.
In the VAST Journey app, you will reach this stage when you begin a new quest. Each quest has its own unique Rules for Success, which are a set of clearly defined steps you can follow to make progress and ultimately achieve your objective. The Rules for Success will help you navigate the new circumstances and tests you will encounter in the Special World.
The tests you face will gradually become more difficult until the time comes for the Approach to the Innermost Cave. For example, if you are learning a new language, you may have completed beginner- and intermediate-level courses before deciding to travel abroad. During the Approach to the Innermost Cave, you will prepare to enter an environment where you may not be able to communicate using your native language and may instead need to rely on the new skills you have gained during the Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage. You may not always have access to a translation app, requiring you to trust your instincts and new knowledge.
The Approach to the Innermost Cave can be intimidating, even after gaining new skills and overcoming obstacles in the Special World. However, the allies you have met can support you and help you overcome your fear as you approach the ultimate challenge: The Supreme Ordeal.
I will talk about the Supreme Ordeal in more detail next time. If you are currently struggling with your own Hero’s Journey, and you would like to become an early user of the VAST Journey app, fill out the form on our website to join the waitlist.