Unlike other superheroes, Superman does not hide behind a mask. That's who he really is. He was born super. In fact, he uses the alter ego of Clark Kent to conceal his true identity. And as it turns out, he’s not the only hero hiding.
As adults, we compartmentalize what we do so much that we run the risk of forgetting who we are. We get caught up in the mundane routines of everyday life and lose sight of our identity. And this can get us in a world of trouble.
Often, we hide behind the excuse of “I’m just a ____” (fill the blank with “mom,” “midlevel manager,” or whatever feels normal and commonplace to you). And as we do this, our souls start to slowly die.
This week on The Portfolio Life, Andy and I talk about the secret superpowers you're probably unaware of and what it takes to realize your potential. Listen in as we discuss the blurred line between reality and fantasy, what this means for grown-ups, and how to reconnect with your authentic self.
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Superheroes are born, not made
You might be surprised to know my son Aiden is a real-life superhero. It's true. On any given day, he may be spotted as Superman, Captain America, or even The Incredible Hulk — depending, of course, on the outfit he's wearing.
What I love about this is that Aiden isn’t pretending. He really believes he's a superhero. In fact, when I ask him, “What’s your name?” he doesn’t respond with what’s listed on his birth certificate. Instead, his chest puffs up and he declares with boldness:
I’m Superman.
And maybe he's right. Maybe, in a way, we are all the superheroes of our own stories. I think this is true: we walk in the midst of unknown superheroes every day. You can see them at the cash register of your local supermarket, making latte art at the local coffee shop, or even staring back at you in the mirror.
Yes, I believe we are all super. Each of us have a gift to share with the world, something special other people need. And it's our job to figure out what that is and do something with it.
Show highlights
In this episode, we discuss:
- When children realize they can become a superhero
- The difference between wearing a costume and being a superhero
- How adults tend to compartmentalize our identity
- A tragic word that diminishes our gifts
- The snowflake rebuttal to “Not everyone is special”.
- What Disney teaches about identity with a ghostly lion
- How the classic hero’s journey applies to your story
- A few things that are true of Aiden now that I hope are true at 13, 30 and beyond
- The requirements to become a superhero
- Updates on the new Tribe Conference
Quotes and Takeaways
- Life is an epic adventure.
- There’s a battle out there that you must fight.
- Stop saying, “I’m just a ____.”
- When Superman puts on his cape, he becomes who he really is.
- Everybody has a gift to share with the world.
- We’re born to do something special.
- Some people fail to see their gift and refuse to share it because they don’t know what it is.
- You are “just” incredibly unique with special gifts and abilities unlike the world has ever seen.
- There is something unique about you and there is something unique about what you have to do. So why aren’t you doing it?
- Understand your identity and live into it.
Resources
- The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
- Tribe Writers
- Tribe Conference
- We Are All Secretly Superheroes
- Transcript (coming soon)
What’s your superpower? What is a step you will take to embrace it and live into your identity? Share in the comments
