Refusal of the call

The mythic hero hears the call to adventure, but refuses it, at least at first. They choose the relative peace, comfort, and familiarity of home over the ambitious quest beckoning them out into the world. They decide to play it safe.

The antihero hears the call to peace and refuses it just the same. They choose striving, burnout, and hollowness over the invitation to return home. They decide to play it safe, indulging in the same striving for greatness, the same rumination over the past, the same cheap dopamine hits that protect them from what they don’t want to feel.

The hero can’t bring themself to begin. The antihero can’t bring themself to stop.


Coach, writer, and recovering hustle hero. I help purpose-driven humans do good in the world in dark times - without the burnout.


More Antiheroes' Blog posts


  • Go for the no

    Go for the no

    Every failure is just more proof of your courage, vulnerability, and resilience. Every failure is an opportunity to learn something new. Every failure is an…


  • What is genius?

    What is genius?

    Genius is not something people are, genius is something people have. Genius is a capacity that every human has. In fact, perhaps it is actually…


  • What is change? (Part 2: Well-being, service, and integrity)

    What is change? (Part 2: Well-being, service, and integrity)

    Change is not only the end results that we can witness. Change is also the processes that we undergo within ourselves, our communities, and our…