For those of us at, near or past retirement age, we may not think of our lives as being heroic, but when we look back, we can see many accomplishments that can only be described as heroic. Going through the pain and drama of adolescence, getting an education, earning a livelihood, raising a family and surviving all of the health, emotional and environmental traumas that have left a mark on us are but a few of life’s challenges that we have dealt with and hopefully overcome. Story-telling and myths have been created over time to help guide and teach us how to live through these trials and tribulations. Mythologist Joseph Campbell (1904-1987), in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces, discovered that many of these stories and myths have a common thread and coined the term “monomyth” to describe the arc of the story that all great myths follow, and that this arc can be used to as a roadmap for how to live the life that each of us was meant to live. I first learned of Campbell in the 1980’s when he did a set of interviews with Bill Moyers for the PBS series “The Power of Myth” and I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve often referred back to him whenever I needed to gain clarity or perspective on which direction to take when I was at a crossroads in my life. Entering retirement was one of those times.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

This is how Campbell describes the structure of the monomyth: ” A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” Classical mythology, such as the Homer’s Odyssey and the Holy Grail quest of King Arthur, the sagas of Moses, Jesus and the Buddha, as well as modern-day stories such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Star Wars franchise all follow this structure. There are 17 steps on the hero’s journey. For the sake of clarity and brevity, I won’t go into all 17 steps, but will rather use author Margaret Atwood’s (“The Handmaid’s Tale“) template that involves three essential stages, as described in her MasterClass on Creative Writing:

• The first stage is the Departure. The hero is living in the so-called “ordinary world” when they (I will use gender-neutral pronouns) receive a call to adventure, which is usually refused at first. But with the help of a mentor or some type of supernatural aid, the hero accepts the call, embarks on the quest and crosses the point of no return (which Campbell calls “entering the belly of the whale”).
• Next is the Initiation stage. The hero goes through a series of tests or ordeals as they begin their transformation. They usually fail at first but pick up allies or guides who help them along the way. The turning point comes when the hero confronts the reason for their journey and faces the doubts, fears and powers that rule their life. As a result of this confrontation, the hero gains a new understanding of their purpose, gains new knowledge and skills, and ultimately uses these new-found tools to accomplish the goal that they set out to achieve.
• The final stage is the Return. After fulfilling the call that inspired the journey in the first place, the hero returns to share the object of the quest, whether it is a material prize, newly-gained knowledge or a spiritual awakening. The hero achieves a balance between who they were before the journey and who they are now. The hero is at peace with life (at least until the next call to adventure).

Star Wars

Probably the best known modern example of the Hero’s Journey is George Lucas’ Star Wars: A New Hope. Lucas consulted with Campbell while creating the story and used the monomyth template to drive the plot and develop the characters. Luke Skywalker is living a mundane life on Tatooine when R2-D2 plays a message that Princess Leia is in distress. At first Luke refuses the call, but Obi-Wan Kenobi convinces him to follow his heart and save Leia. He embarks on his quest, enters a strange new universe (typified by the Cantina scene) and crosses the point of no return. Luke tries but often fails to master the light sabre, but eventually trusts in the supernatural “Force” and rescues Leia from the Death Star. He returns Leia to safety and, armed with his new knowledge and skill, joins the rebels and becomes a Jedi.

The 6 Phases of Retirement

So how do we follow our path and embark on a Hero’s Journey in retirement? Robert Atchley (1939-2018), a well-known gerontologist and sociologist, wrote that there are six phases of retirement: 1. Pre-retirement (life before and preparing for retirement) 2. Retirement (includes a honeymoon period that usually lasts between 6 months and a year, where you feel relaxed and carefree) 3. Disenchantment (often characterized by boredom, disappointment or depression) 4. Reorientation (re-evaluating your plans and expectations) 5. Routine (settling into a comfortable and rewarding routine) 6. Termination (either re-entering the workforce or when health begins to fail). I believe that if you want to have an inspired and inspiring retirement, patterning these phases after the archetypical Hero’s Journey can help you achieve your goal. Here’s how:

1. Pre-retirement is the “ordinary world.” You are still working in your career or job, maybe have a family, close friends and a community that you belong to, and you have a “comfort zone” that you are secure in.
2. But retirement (phase 2) can be seen as a call to adventure. According to Atchley, most retirees experience one of three sub-phases: The honeymoon, which feels like a permanent vacation; immediate routine, where schedules and routines remain the same as before retirement, only without the time spent working; and rest and relaxation, which is similar to the honeymoon type, except nothing too demanding is done (think couch potato). This phase can be considered the refusal of the call because you are stuck in your comfort zone and don’t care to leave it. But eventually (for most after around six months or a year), phase 3 sets in…
3. Disenchantment. For some, being on a permanent vacation, keeping the same routine or doing nothing may be enough, but most will get bored eventually and want something more. The call to adventure beckons and the quest begins. Maybe it’s a new hobby, a new business, volunteer work or going back to school. For me, it was starting this blog; since I didn’t really even know what a blog was when I started, there was a steep learning curve that was (and still is) full of frustration, which caused me to doubt if I could learn this new skill (I will cover this in a later post on teaching an old dog new tricks). New allies and guides are found and, whether or not you believe in the supernatural – God, the universe or the “Force,” often times there are signs or coincidences that guide you on your journey. This has certainly been true in my case.
4. Reorientation Routine. One of the great things about living an inspired retirement is that you have the time, health and resources to really explore your hero’s journey. It may take years to proceed through the departure and initiation stages, but as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” If you devote enough time and do the inner work necessary, you will get to a place where you feel like you have achieved what you have set out to accomplish; it’s time for the return. You have reached a new level of contentment and fulfillment that can sustain you for many years or decades to come. Many people (myself included) feel a calling to share what they have learned or gained from the experience of the journey. For some, this may involve teaching or mentoring, volunteering or getting involved in community activism or organizing. For others, it may be simply sharing your life lessons with and acting as a role model for your children, grandchildren or even your great-grandchildren.
5. Termination of Retirement. This phase can go in one of two directions. Your journey may lead you back into the working or business world and you decide to “un-retire.” But for most, the termination of retirement is something that most don’t want to look at. Eventually we will all get to a place where we can no longer sustain an independent lifestyle and health issues become more prominent. Inevitably we will all die. But if you have followed the path that your journey takes you on and live the life that you were meant to live, you will enter this phase with peace of mind and exit it with ultimate peace.