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


  • Writer’s block

    For the last couple of months, I’ve been writing and releasing a series called Purpose 101. The intent is to articulate some of the foundations…


  • Seeking out evidence

    Seeking out evidence

    Rather than objectively observing the world, we often bend, filter, and distort what we observe to confirm what we already (consciously or unconsciously) believe to…


  • The difference between goals and dreams

    The difference between goals and dreams

    Maybe I don't have to be constantly striving and struggling to feel fulfilled or complete. Perhaps I can simply listen to the mysterious call of…