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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman flying over Metropolis to bring a stop to the actions of villains of the city and peace to the minds of its citizens. At a young age, I believed that when I was in trouble, some type of hero would swoop in and save the day. While it may seem silly to think that there are heroes hiding in the shadows -ready to come to the aid of civilization at a moment's notice - I know that there are people in my life with extraordinary abilities that only a true superhero could possess.

When I entered high school, I had lost hope that there was any hero out there who could save me from stress, worry, and all the other problems that could arise in the life of a teenager. I had been captured by the evil that was anxiety because I thought I was not going to perform well in my English class.

For being a high-achieving student, this was enough to send me down a spiraling, dark hole that I would not be able to get myself out of. I felt hopeless and alone. I needed someone to rescue me from the villainous clutches of worry and despair. I knew I needed to talk to someone, but I was too scared to talk to the counselor or the actual English teacher, so I decided I would go talk to the only teacher I thought would listen. She was the band teacher at the time and had a reputation for helping her students with their problems. As we talked about all the stresses and worries that I was facing in my life at the time, it was as if all my problems began to melt away like they had never even existed. It seemed as though she had some sort of power that completely pulverized all the worry and stress in my life. She was the superhero I had been searching for all those years.

After realizing that there was a hero in my life who possessed special abilities, I noticed that there were more people around me with extraordinary powers than I previously thought. My friends had smiles that could light up the darkest of days. My sister had a brain that could make any problem seem easy to solve. Even my mom had an ability to love that could make even the loneliest of souls feel safe and supported. While these may just seem like unimportant characteristics that everyone can possess, they hold so much power to me. Their gifts make the days so much easier to get through. They are the reasons why I believe that superheroes exist in the world today. All my life I waited for someone in a cape to come save the day, but it was the people around me who were the true heroes.

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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman flying over Metropolis to bring a stop to the actions of villains of the city and peace to the minds of its citizens. At a young age, I believed that when I was in trouble, some type of hero would swoop in and save the day.

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John Hodgman conducts an informal survey in which he asks the age-old question: Which is better: The power of flight or the power of invisibility? He finds that how you answer tells a lot about what kind of person you are. And also, no matter which power people choose, they never use it to fight crime. (14 minutes)

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Invisible Man Vs. Hawkman - This American Life

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John Hodgman conducts an informal survey in which he asks the age-old question: Which is better: The power of flight or the power of invisibility? He finds that how you answer tells a lot about what kind of person you are.

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When was the last time you thought about what it means to be a hero? Have you ever really considered the behaviors and actions we judge to be "heroic"?

Many of us take for granted that we know heroism when we see it. On a surface level, many of us would call someone a hero if they put themselves at physical risk to help others in a crisis situation. While that is one aspect of heroism, there is more to the phenomenon than a momentary selfless act to aid another human being in trouble.

Can we "train" people to clearly identify the need for heroism and consciously access the biological and psychological mechanisms that will allow them to take appropriate action? Can we expand the definition of what it means to be heroic, and use this lauded aspect of human behavior to improve ourselves and the lives of others on a daily basis?

I've been considering these and other questions regarding heroism for decades. My study of this topic began with games of Dungeons & Dragons I played as a kid, and then the reading of books like Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, who created the concept of the monomyth in the 20 th century. I pursued heroic tales in ancient literature and modern-day comic books, and found myself in awe as the stories of epic deeds echoed each other across millennia. I looked for the roots of heroic behavior in the great works of philosophy, and saw connections between concepts like stoicism and pragmatism.

As time went on, I moved beyond mythology and philosophy, and began exploring what science had to say about heroism's biological and behavioral roots. My journey turned to psychology and sociology, and then to relatively new fields such as positive psychology and, eventually, to the emerging concept of heroism science. I've had opportunities to discuss heroism with researchers who are delving deep into rigorous empirical study, with the goal of helping humanity to harness the power of heroism in our daily lives.

What ultimately solidified the importance of heroism were my own personal struggles. Like every human being, I've experienced setbacks and obstacles, some so devastating I felt like there was no point to life. In the heroic myth, however, I found strength-a way to build my resolve-and a path to purpose. So I redoubled my efforts to explore this phenomenon.

***

This pursuit led me to create a blog called Live The Hero, which also became something I consider a "life philosophy." Live The Hero is the distillation of my years of searching, study, and personal application of heroic mythology and science. I hope the concepts and techniques I outline in this series will help others find ways to use the heroism mindset as a framework to overcome challenges, help others, and contribute to the improvement of the world as a whole. If the heroic mindset can help me-a regular guy and average human being-then, maybe my experiences and ideas can help others.

Ultimately, I'm a layman. I consider myself an aggregator of ideas, an enthusiast, and an advocate. People often use the line "I stand on the shoulders of giants." This is very true in my case. I freely admit that what I have gathered here in this series is based on the creative legacy of the human race as a whole. I've researched and drawn information from many sources. Perhaps all I'm offering is my own interpretation of heroism. If so, so be it. In the end, if all I do is help continue the conversation on this topic, I've done my job.

I believe I've found something vital and life-affirming in the heroic, and I don't believe this behavior is something that is only momentary and ephemeral. I believe we were meant to consciously use heroic behavior on a regular basis, in ways big and small, to help develop ourselves and serve others.

With the series that begins with this post, I hope to add my voice to the growing chorus of philosophers, scientists, thinkers, and doers who are adding new depth and dimension to heroism.

You, reading this article, are now one of us. You've stepped into this collective journey of exploration. You've already heard the call to adventure. Will you join us?

I look forward to meeting you on the path!
A version of this post appeared on The Good Men Project.
***
If you liked this post, please share it and help spread the word about the everyday heroism movement! If you don't already follow Live The Hero, please subscribe! When you do, you'll get the free Live The Hero manifesto, program primer, and 30-day guide! You'll also be notified of future exclusive content and the latest updates.

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Intro to Live The Hero: A Practical Guide to Everyday Heroism

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When was the last time you thought about what it means to be a hero? Have you ever really considered the behaviors and actions we judge to be "heroic"? Many of us take for granted that we know heroism when we see it. On a surface level, many of us would call someone a hero if...

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Shrek 2 (2004) - I Need a Hero Scene (7/10) | Movieclips

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What are people thinking when they risk their lives for someone else? Are they making complicated calculations of risk or diving in without a second thought? Is heroism an act of sympathy or empathy?

A few years ago, we spoke with Walter F. Rutkowski about how the Carnegie Hero Fund selects its heroes, an honor the fund bestows upon ordinary people who have done extraordinary acts.

When some of these heroes were asked what they were thinking when they leapt into action, they replied: they didn't think about it, they just went in.

Neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky says there is a certain kind of empathy that leads to action. But feeling the pain of another person deeply is not necessarily what makes a hero.
Our original episode was reported and produced by Lynn Levy and Tim Howard. This update was produced by Amanda Aronczyk. Support Radiolab today at Radiolab.org/donate.
[RADIOLAB INTRO]

JAD ABUMRAD: Hey, this is Radiolab. I'm Jad Abumrad.

ROBERT KRULWICH: I'm Robert Krulwich.

JAD: Goodness, selflessness.

ROBERT: So we've done the math. The math ...

JAD: Okay, so are you ready for this?

JAD: All right. So awhile back we did this story that, for us at least really stuck in our heads. It was a story that was asking this really deep question and the answer that we got to ...

ROBERT: The answer didn't quite click.

ROBERT: At least I remember it that way.

JAD: Yeah. And just to sort of set the table, the question was why do people do good in the world? So we asked that question. Looked at it from the perspective of genetics, computer science, all kinds of things. We ended up profiling these three extraordinarily heroically-good people.

ROBERT: Yeah, they were heroes. They did remarkable things, each one.

JAD: And we told their stories with that question in mind. Why do certain people do good in the world and others don't?

JAD: And so we're gonna revisit that question today and the story that we told, because I think we have something better and smarter to say about it, finally.

ROBERT: Something very peculiar to say about it, as it turns out.

JAD: Yeah. So we're gonna play you the original first, and then we're gonna come back and hopefully shed some new light on it.

JAD: Again, this story just began with a simple question. That question led us ...

JAD: ... to a guy named Walter Rutkowski.

JAD: Six. And how about seven? Why?

JAD: Like, what is it that happens in a person's mind at that pivotal moment, when they decide to voluntarily ...

JAD: Leave a point of safety ...

JAD: And risk their life to extraordinary degree ...

JAD: That's what we wanted to know.

JAD: Laura spoke with our producer Tim Howard.

JAD: So here is the moment that we find fascinating. At this point Lora can either go forward through thousands of volts of electricity towards an angry bull that will likely maul her too, or she can stay safe.

JAD: She says by the time she got through ...

JAD: A neighbor had shown up and threw her a piece of pipe.

JAD: Unfortunately, this is the usual explanation, says Walter. No explanation.

JAD: Okay, we just jumped ahead because we thought we'd try again. That's the voice of the next Carnegie hero that Walter told us about.

JAD: Our producer Lynn Levy tracked him down.

JAD: So here we are. Bill's standing in front of this ball of fire. There are three teenagers inside that car, though he doesn't know it. He can either A) do nothing; or B) go in.

JAD: So our bull girl, she didn't know. This guy didn't really know either. Somebody must be able to tell us something about what they were thinking at that moment that allowed them, that gave them the courage to do what they did.

JAD: But we took one more shot with Walter. And after we take a quick break, we're gonna hear one more hero story from him. That's when we come back.
This is Sam calling from Denver, Colorado. Radiolab is supported in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Enhancing public understanding of science and technology in the modern world. More information about Sloan at www.sloan.org.]
ROBERT: We're back now with Walter Rutkowski who's going to tell us the third and final of his hero stories.

JAD: And he told us that of all the cases he's heard, this is the one that puzzles him the most.

JAD: Making this story even more nuts? When we finally met up with Wesley Autrey on the platform where this incident happened under 35th and Broadway, he explained to us that his daughters had been with him.

JAD: So when they're standing there and this guy starts convulsing and then eventually falls off the platform onto the tracks right as the train is coming, his choice is pretty stark. In order to save this complete stranger, he's got to leave his daughters behind, potentially without a dad.

JAD: So he jumps. Runs to the guy.

JAD: Tries to grab the guy's hand.

JAD: 50 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet. And then it's right there. And all he can do is grab the guy, get him in a bear hug, and flatten his body against the guy as much as he can.

JAD: Train car went right over them.

JAD: And then he explained to us exactly why he had jumped. He was the one guy who could. He said right before his feet left the platform, this one specific moment from his life flashed to mind.

JAD: After that moment he says when the gun went click and he didn't die, he always wondered why had God spared him that moment? Until he was on the platform and he saw the guy fall off. He says then he knew this is why.

ROBERT: You know what I think at the end of the day?

ROBERT: I don't think that there's an answer to the question we asked. I don't think ...

ROBERT: Why were you a hero? I don't think that any three of these heroes... I mean the last one had the longest explanation. He had been selected for some purpose, but does he know why he was chosen? Not a clue.

JAD: See I -- guy number three gives me something.

ROBERT: What does he give you?

JAD: Okay, so the first two, right, they have no idea.

JAD: So there's just something in them that made them act. But guy number three is talking about circumstances. Like, the world prepared him for that moment. Serendipity. So it makes me think, well, what if circumstances are just right, maybe any of us could do that?

JAD: In fact, when we asked Walter ...

JAD: He told us they've even had to up their guidelines to make it harder to win.

JAD: I gotta say that we went with this feel-good thought about -- about all the people who are doing good because I honestly don't think we knew what to say to end that story.

ROBERT: Well, it's nice to know that there are a lot more good people than we thought.

JAD: But we went -- when we were trying to figure out why people who do that do that, and why we're different -- or they're different than us, and we didn't really get there.

ROBERT: But then this guy walks in.

ROBERT: Robert has been on our program many, many times talking about any number of things. And he has just come out with a book called Behave, trying to explain why we do everything we do. It goes into the brain, into history, into culture, everything. And we figured well, maybe he would have something to say about our -- our little puzzle.

JAD: And, you know, the first thing that Robert Sapolsky told us, which maybe wasn't that surprising, is that when we were asking people what were they thinking? That was sort of the wrong question.

JAD: The evidence suggests, Sapolsky says, that in situations like this, people just don't reason their way to a decision. That's not how it works.

ROBERT: So then we asked him okay, if it's not thinking or moral reasoning, then maybe what these heroes are doing is they're -- they're , they're empathizing more than the rest of us and that's why they do what they do.

JAD: Sapolsky told us that there have actually been studies that have found this. That when someone actually empathizes, physically feels another person's pain, they're more likely to turn away from it, rather than step forward and try and alleviate that person's suffering.

ROBERT: Big, big thanks to Robert Sapolsky whose new book is called Behave.

JAD: This piece was produced by Amanda Aronczyk. And if you liked this story and it's kind of got you thinking, go and listen to our Good Show, which is at Radiolab.org. There's a lot of stuff in The Good Show. Good stuff.

ROBERT: A lot of stuff. There's a lot of good in The Good Show.

JAD: Good stuff in The Good Show.

ROBERT: I'm Robert Krulwich.

JAD: Thanks for listening.
GRAHAM ELWOOD:-30- This is Graham Elwood from Memphis. Radiolab was created by Jad Abumrad and is produced by Soren Wheeler. Dylan Keefe is our Director of Sound Design. Maria Matasar-Padilla is our Managing Director. Our staff includes Simon Adler, Becca Bressler, Rachael Cusick, David Gebel, Bethel Habte, Tracie Hunte, Matt Kielty, Robert Krulwich, Annie McEwen, Latif Nasser, Malissa O'Donnell, Arianne Wack, Pat Walters and Molly Webster. With help from Amanda Aronczyk, Shima Oliaee, David Fox, Nigar Fatali, Phoebe Wang and Katie Ferguson. Our fact-checker is Michelle Harris.]

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What are people thinking when they risk their lives for someone else? Are they making complicated calculations of risk or diving in without a second thought? Is heroism an act of sympathy or empathy? A few years ago, we spoke with Walter F.

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Disney's Big Hero 6 - Official US Trailer 2

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Heroic action-like talking down a school shooter or jumping onto train tracks to rescue someone-often happens in a matter of seconds. But what you don't always see is the months, years, or even decades of preparation that came before those fleeting heroic moments.

Most of the time, readying yourself to respond in a crisis situation takes work, which might come as a surprise if you think of heroes as special, chosen, or just born that way. None of the work is glamorous, either. The main thing you need to hone your heroic potential is consistent practice, not unlike the extra hours you'd put in before a big test or soccer game.

Consider the feats of pilot Chesley Sullenberger, who's profiled in The Life Heroic. In 2009, this now-retired US Airways captain landed his plane seemingly with ease on New York's Hudson River after flying geese knocked out both his engines, leaving the plane without power. After the plane landed, it started taking on water, and Sullenberger left the waterlogged aircraft only after making sure every passenger had gotten out.

But there was an important part of the story that many news reports didn't mention. For every one of the critical minutes Sullenberger guided the plane to a safe landing, he'd logged countless hours of practice. A pilot for more than four decades, Sullenberger had flown planes in all kinds of conditions. He also had special training in how to fly gliders, which are essentially planes without engines. In short, everything he'd experienced in his career-every problem he'd solved on the fly-prepared him to land a damaged plane on the spur of the moment.

Were Sullenberger's heroic actions truly effortless? Far from it. But they were well within reach, given the kind of training he'd had. The preparation phase of a heroic journey is seldom the part that makes headlines. Without it, though, many headlines would never have been made in the first place.

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Heroic action-like talking down a school shooter or jumping onto train tracks to rescue someone-often happens in a matter of seconds. But what you don't always see is the months, years, or even decades of preparation that came before those fleeting heroic moments.

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Hercules | Zero to Hero | Lyric Video | Disney Sing Along

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Octomom | Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials | WNYC Studios

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A mile under the ocean, we get to watch an octopus perform a heroic act of heart and determination.

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For the Heroes: A Pep Talk From Kid President

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The Script - Superheroes (Official Video)

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The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar - Pray For Me (Official Lyric Video)

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Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Why lunch ladies are heroes

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Children's book author Jarrett Krosoczka shares the origins of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, in which undercover school heroes serve lunch...and justice! His new project, School Lunch Hero Day, reveals how cafeteria lunch staff provide more than food, and illustrates how powerful a thank you can be.