The Hero Must Go — Amy Guion Clay

Most every story begins with the Hero in the ordinary world. Comfortable enough. Then there is an “incident” that forces him/her out of their comfort zone into the extraordinary world, and a series of trials begin to test the Hero. Finally there is transformation/redemption and a return to the homeland.

Classic story, no?

Detail of Demo painting done during my weekend workshop July 2021. Amy Guion Clay ©

The Hero Must Go - Into Discomfort

Had the Hero stayed home, clinging to comfort, there would be no transformation, no growth. Just same, same. And of course, no story.

But the Hero is called forth, willing or not, and the challenge is accepted. That’s why there is a story. The more obstacles, the more challenges, the more discomfort, the more interesting is the journey.

One of my favorite books is Jack London’s Cruise of the Snark. It’s a true account of his building a boat to navigate to Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific in 1907 - with little knowledge of boat building and even less experience in navigation. All of his friends thought he was crazy (except his wife, who joined him in the adventure, and a small crew). To his naysayers, he replied:

“It’s easier for me to go down to the sea than to stay on dry land.”

Most certainly it wasn’t more comfortable for him to go out to the Pacific sea with little knowledge of sailing, but it was easier to accept the challenge than to stay anchored and in stasis and comfort. This book inspired me many years ago to leave my comfortable life in NYC for a life changing trip around the world and beyond.

Comfort is the Enemy of Creativity:

it is our default position to seek comfort. From climate controlled homes/cars/offices to high thread count sheets. We want to make everything just SO, to feel in control. Our whole trajectory as humans has been about seeking comforts. Getting the right this and that, until we are surrounded by a hermetically sealed environment that make us comfortably numb (cue Pink Floyd).

Seeking comfort narrows our scope. Like in Pleasantville , every day is a comfortable 78 degrees. Yet nothing changes, nothing grows. Everything is homogenized. Until the Hero is called forth to go beyond and takes up the challenge. This is why we devour stories, to inspire us to shake up our own lives and push further than we thought possible.

This is especially true in the creative process. Creativity requires taking risks, letting go of control, and allowing ourselves to stay with the discomfort when we don’t like what we see. Staying with it, even when you want to crawl out of your skin, is the key to all creative growth. Keep going beyond the discomfort, because you will get to the other side. Too many give up early because they just can’t stand the internal judgements. It’s too uncomfortable.

Curiosity is the antidote to fear

The lesson is simple. I’ll say it again and again. Stay curious. As you venture into the unknown of the creative process, just be curious what is happening in front of you. Instead of “OMG I hate this”, think, “hmmm, isn’t this interesting? I wonder what would happen if I do______?”

“I look for maximum lack of control…so the paint will do something I didn’t think of.” Robert Rauschenberg

Staying curious disarms the discomfort, the fear. They can’t co-exist. Curiosity propels us forward, toward the horizon. Fear keeps us tethered to the familiar, the known.

So when you are in doubt, stay with the discomfort, get curious and see where the journey takes you. That’s how we get to be the Hero in our own story.