MKE WEEK 17-HJ: Goodbye Old Self-A Return from Death

“The only place where your dreams become the impossible are in your thinking.” – Robert Schuller

There are a lot of things I am saying goodbye to and that is my old self. This is probably the best feeling to overcome. Sometimes we all let our old selves hold us back from moving on into the future.

Whether it is from our insecurities, past mistakes, people making presumptions due to your past. Believe me, it can be haunting, but once you overcome the past, it is truly the best accomplishment ever.

I have never been as comfortable with myself, until this year because of the Hero’ Journey. I truly love my son Clayton’s recovery from an attack that occured on February 28th, 2003 in which he died and was brought back to life, my new marriage, my new experiences, teaching, business building, training and people that have come into my life. Without them, I do not think I would be the person I am today.

• One, I started a new blog this year.  My old self would be way too concerned to share my life experiences and opinions in public.

• Two, I have drastically changed my style since 2003.

• Three, I am not as intimidated by the opinions of others anymore.

• Four, I started to get out of my comfort zone by doing more things by myself with Clayton’s recovery. For instance, I started teaching Master classes again. My old self would ask myself in light of all my life changes.

• And lastly, I love who I have become as a person in light of all the changes in my life. God, Master Key System techniques and many people helped me and Clayton get over of what others thought of us, my business and what I do.

If you are not happy with yourself, it is important to change that. Do not be afraid to grow out of your old self. Your past does not define who you are.

I did it in part with the Master Key System.  Here’s how!

Master Key System Week 17HJ provided me with a way to knowingly “Start My Hero’s Journey and Eliminate My Fears and Move Quickly Towards the Success I Deserve.”

Chances are… your fear or ignorance has long held you back from discovering your true self or achieving the things that are most important to you.

Master Key Experience Week 17HJ provided me with a way to discovering my true self, to stop self-defeating behaviors and begin self-confident ones.  Isn’t it time to see yourself as God and others see you and easily change perceptions?

Master Key Experience provided me with a new way to think and act in accordance with my self-directed thinking. Isn’t it time for dissolving your personal fears, to begin your own Hero’s Journey and to make real progress toward your real self and the life you desire?
 

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Master Key Experience teaches us we are powerful beyond measure, but we must take our Hero’s Journey.   MKE tell us the Hero’s Journey is a common story structure shared by cultures worldwide, in which a character [you] ventures into unknown territory to retrieve something they need.

Facing conflict and adversity, the hero [you] ultimately triumphs before returning home, transformed.

The Master Key Experience has done that for me and every other person who has participated in this training.

Let me explain:

On February 28, 2003, my life was turned around.  My youngest son Clayton was attacked by 21 guys with baseball bats at the Holiday Inn in San Francisco. He died that night and was brought back to life. 

It took $3.5 million in medical expense and 18 years of my life and his to bring him back to a point in life when he was 14.  It resulted in a divorce, loss of my busines, my home, my earning power, and many other things.  It took all that I had worked for most of my life.  It caused large financial problems, mental challenges, religious challenges and physical challenges.

In late 2020 I became involved with the Master Key Experience. Through it I was able to meet my authentic self. Meeting my authentic self, meant I had to acknowledge my other self.  The MKE and many others put me on my Hero’s Journey.

In MKE Week 17, I pointed out “You are gods. You are a son of the Most High.” But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.” This passage is saying that God has appointed men to positions of authority in which they are considered as gods among the people.

May I ask, “Do you feel or live your life as a god? As a son of the Most High?”

If not continue reading this message. Then take up your own Hero’s Journey.

There are three stages to the Hero’s Journey as coined by academic Joseph Campbell in 1949:

• The Departure Act: The Hero leaves the Ordinary World.

• The Initiation Act: The Hero ventures into unknown territory (the ” Special World “) and is birthed into a true champion through various trials and challenges.

• The Return Act: The Hero returns in triumph.

The Hero’s Journey has its fingerprints in everything from The Lion King and horror novels to Star Wars and Arrival. But keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to follow it beat by beat.

You can instead think of the Hero’s Journey as a map: you can stray from the set path whenever you like. But when you are struggling to figure out what should happen next, it can act as a narrative arc guide to suggest what the next milestone should be in your life.

There 12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is a model for both plot points and character development: as the Hero traverses the world, they will undergo inner and outer transformation at each stage of the journey. The 12 steps of the hero’s journey are…

1. The Ordinary World
2. The Call of Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the First Threshold
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
8. The Ordeal
9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)
10. The Road Back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with the Elixir

Believe it or not, this story structure also applies to all our lives. 

1. Ordinary World we meet our Hero.

In the Master Key System Hero’s Journey, we are the Hero. The journey has yet to start. Before our Hero discovers a strange new world, we must first understand our status quo: our ordinary, mundane reality.

It is up to this opening leg to set the stage, introducing you the Hero to your true self.  Importantly, it lets you identify with the Hero [your high self-] as a “normal” person in a “normal” setting before the journey begins.

Example of the Ordinary World:

In the opening you are introduced as a mediocre person — just doing your best to live day-to-day in your present environment.

2. Call to AdventureIn which an adventure starts.

The call to adventure is all about booting you the Hero out of your comfort zone. In this stage, you are generally confronted with a problem or challenge you cannot ignore. This catalyst can take many forms, as Campbell points out in Hero with a Thousand Faces. The Hero can, for instance:

• Decide to go forth of you own volition, i.e., Theseus upon arriving in Athens,

• Be sent abroad by a benign or malignant agent, i.e., Odysseus setting off on his ship in The Odyssey,

• Stumble upon the adventure as a result of a mere blunder, i.e., Dorothy when she is swept up in a tornado in The Wizard of Oz,

• Be casually strolling when some passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man, i.e., Elliot in E.T. upon discovering a lost alien in the tool shed.

The stakes of the adventure and your Hero’s goals become clear. The only question: will you rise to the challenge?

Example of the Call to Adventure in found in Rocky or in my life in 2003:

Apollo Creed, the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, decides to make a big fight interesting by giving a no-name a chance to challenge him. Intrigued by the nickname, “The Italian Stallion,” he rings Rocky up.

3. Refusal of the Call In which the Hero digs in their feet.

Great, so you, the Hero’s received your summons. Now you are all set to be whisked off to defeat, right?

Not so fast. You, the Hero, might first refuse the call to action. It is risky and there are perils — like spiders, trolls, or perhaps a creepy uncle waiting back at Pride Rock. It is enough to give anyone pause.

In Star Wars, for instance, Luke Skywalker initially refuses to join Obi-Wan on his mission to rescue the princess. It is only when he discovers that his aunt and uncle have been killed by stormtroopers that he changes his mind.

Example of the Refusal of the Call:

Rocky says, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to Creed’s invitation. He is reluctant, given that he has no trainer and is incredibly out of shape.

In my life I had no other choice but to take care of my son, Clayton

4. Meeting the Mentor in which the Hero acquires a personal trainer.

You, the Hero’s decided to go on the adventure — but you are not ready to spread your wings yet. You are much too inexperienced at this point and we do not want to do a fabulous bellyflop off the cliff.

Enter the mentor: someone who helps you, the Hero, so that you do not make a total fool of yourself (or get yourself killed). The mentor provides practical training, profound wisdom, a kick up the posterior, or something abstract like grit and self-confidence.

Wise old wizards seem to like being mentors. But mentors take many forms, from witches to hermits and suburban Taekwondo instructors. They might literally give weapons to prepare for the trials ahead, like Q in the James Bond series. Or perhaps the mentor is an object, such as a map. In all cases, they prepare you, the Hero for the next step.

Example of Meeting the Mentor:

In this step former boxer Mickey “Mighty Mick” Goldmill, who sees potential in Rocky, starts training him physically and mentally for the fight.

In my case with Clayton, I had the 5 Curuches that directed and guided me.

5. Crossing the First Threshold in which you the Hero enters your other world in earnest.

Now you, the Hero is ready — and committed — to the journey. This marks the end of the Departure stage and is when the adventure really kicks into the next gear.

As Vogler writes: “This is the moment that the balloon goes up, the ship sails, the romance begins, the wagon gets rolling.”

From this point on, there is no turning back.

Like our Hero, you should think of this stage as a checkpoint for your story. Pause and re-assess your bearings before you continue into unfamiliar territory. Have you:

• Launched the central conflict? 
• Established the theme of your book
• Made headway into your character development? 

Example of Crossing the First Threshold:

Rocky fully accepts the gauntlet to square up when he crosses the threshold into his love interest Adrian’s house and asks her out on a date.

In my case with Clayton I had to accept the challenge of his Tramatic Brain injury, stroke, coma and my love for my son.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies In which you the Hero faces new challenges and gets a squad.

When we step into the Special World, we notice a definite shift. You the Hero might be discombobulated by this unfamiliar reality and its new rules. This is generally one of the longest stages in your story, as our protagonist gets to grips with this new world.

This makes a prime hunting ground for the series of tests to pass! Luckily, there are many ways for you the Hero to get into trouble:

• In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Spencer, Bethany, “Fridge,” and Martha get off to a bad start when they bump into a herd of bloodthirsty hippos.

• In his first few months at Hogwarts, Harry Potter manages to fight a troll, almost fall from a broomstick, and die, and get horribly lost in the Forbidden Forest.

• Marlin and Dory encounter three “reformed” sharks get shocked by jellyfish and are swallowed by a blue whale en route to finding Nemo.

This stage often expands the cast of characters. Once you are in the Special World, you will meet allies and enemies — or foes that turn out to be friends, and vice versa. You will learn a new set of rules from them. Saloons and seedy bars are popular places for these transactions, as Vogler points out (so long as you the Hero survives them).

Example of Tests, Allies, Enemies:

Rocky continues to try and win over Adrian while making a dubious friend in Paulie.

In my case with Clayton I had to disregard all the doctors who said he would never recover and train him myself.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave In which you the Hero gets closer to your goal.

This is not a physical cave. Instead, the “inmost cave” refers to the most dangerous spot in the other realm — whether that’s the villain’s chambers, the lair of the fearsome dragon, or the Death Star. Almost always, it is where the ultimate goal of the quest is located.

Note that you the protagonist has not entered your Inmost Cave just yet. This stage is all about the approach to it. It covers all the prep work that is needed in order to defeat the villain in your life.

Example of the Approach to the Inmost Cave:

The Inmost Cave in Rocky is Rocky’s own mind. He fears that he will never amount to anything — something that he reveals when he butts heads with his trainer, Mickey, in his apartment.

The Inmost Care in Me is my own mind. I feared I would never be able to get over all the losses because of Clayton’s attack.

8. Ordeal In which the Hero faces his biggest test of all thus far.

Of all the tests the Hero has faced, none have made them hit rock bottom — until now. Vogler describes this phase as a “black moment.” Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” Both indicate some grim news for the Hero.

You the protagonist must now confront their greatest fear. If you survive it, you will emerge transformed. This is a critical moment in the story, as Vogler explains that it will “inform every decision that the Hero makes from this point forward.”

The Ordeal is sometimes not the climax of your story. There is more to come. But you can think of it as the main event of the second act — the one in which the Hero actually earns you the title of “Hero.”

Example of the Ordeal:

The start of the training montage marks the beginning of Rocky’s Ordeal. He pushes through it until he glimpses hope ahead while running up the museum steps.

The start of this step in my life marked the eginning of my ordeal. I had to ush through all the days in the hospital with Clayton, the financial lossses, and etc.

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword) In which the Hero sees light at the end of the tunnel.

You our Hero been through a lot. However, the fruits of your labor are now at hand — if you can just reach out and grab them! The “reward” is the object or knowledge you the Hero has fought throughout the entire journey to hold.

Once you the protagonist has it in your possession, it generally has greater ramifications for your story. Vogler offers a few examples of it in action:

• Luke rescues Princess Leia and captures the plans of the Death Star — keys to defeating Darth Vader.

• Dorothy escapes from the Wicked Witch’s castle with the broomstick and the ruby slippers — keys to getting back home.

Example of the Reward (Seizing the Sword):

Rocky’s reward is the return of his faith in himself. He regains the self-esteem to realize that he has the stuff to take on Apollo Creed — win or lose.

In my son Clayton’s case my reward was the return of my faith in myself and my abilities. I had been a practicing lawyer for over 25 years, highly respected among other things. As Clayton’s life improved I regained my self-esteem and the powers I had to continue the journey.

10. The Road Back in which the light at the end of the tunnel might be a little further than the Hero thought.

The story’s not over just yet, as this phase marks the beginning of Act Three.

Now that you have seized the reward, you the Hero tries to return to the Ordinary World, but more dangers (inconveniently) arise on the road back from the Inmost Cave.

More precisely, you the Hero must deal with the consequences and aftermath of the previous act: the dragon, enraged by you the Hero who is just stolen a treasure from under his nose, starts the hunt. Or perhaps the opposing army gathers to pursue you the Hero across a crowded battlefield. All further obstacles for you the Hero, who must face them down before you can return home.

Example of the Road Back:

On New Year’s Day, the fight between Rocky and Creed is held. Rocky realizes the challenge that lies before him in the first few rounds, in which both men are more or less equally matched.

In my son Clayton’s case the long journey of Clayton’s recovery was taking place. I realized the challenge that was before me. It was years of tring to bring Clayton back. Before the attack on him he was a start football player. After the attack he was a total invalid with a Tramatic Brain Injury, loss of eyesight, strokes, lack of education and many other things.

I realized I would never get back my home, wife, income, or business.

11. Resurrection In which the last test is met.

Here is the true climax of your story. Everything that happened prior to this stage culminates in a crowning test for you the Hero, as the Dark Side gets one last chance to triumph over you the Hero.

Vogler refers to this as a “final exam” for you the Hero — you must be “tested once more to see if you have really learned the lessons of the Ordeal.” It is in this Final Battle that you the protagonist goes through one more “resurrection.” As a result, this is where you will get most of your miraculous near-death escapes, à la James Bond’s dashing deliverances. If you the Hero survives, you can start looking forward to a sweet ending.

Example of the Resurrection:

Rocky’s knocked down more than a few times as the fight continues. The entire fight winds up lasting 15 rounds and takes both men to the brink of exhaustion.

In my son’s Clayton’s case I was challenged many times as our lives continued. It has been 18 years and the struggle continues.

12. Return with the Elixir In which you our Hero has a triumphant homecoming.

Finally, you the Hero gets to return home. However, you go back a different person than when you started out: you have grown and matured as a result of the journey you have taken.

But you have got to see you bring home the bacon, right?

That is why you the protagonist must return with the “Elixir,” or the prize won during your journey, whether that is an object or knowledge and insight gained.

Of course, it is possible for your story to end on an Elixir-less note — but then you the Hero would be doomed to repeat the entire adventure.

Example of the Return with the Elixir:

Rocky does not win the fight — but he does not care. He is won back his confidence and beaten his mental demons. And he has got Adrian, who tells him that she loves him.

CONCLUSION

Now by taking your Hero’s Journey you have to Access the Power that Lies Within You and to Think for Yourself… to leverage the incredible power of mind so you can develop a plan of action and act with people who offer encouragement and care about your success. 

The secret ingredient on your Hero’s Journey is you!

With the Hero’s Journey you will uncover what you truly want in to experience in your life. 

Embark on your own Hero’s Journey and learn how to create a new blueprint so you empower yourself to achieve your goals and dreams with the least effort.

With the Hero’s Journey you will learn the skills you need to unlock the hidden power within you. You will enjoy more happiness, more harmony and feel more fulfilled in all aspects of your life… the life you were always meant to live… the one that is waiting for you.

In Part 17 of the Master Key System it states, “The kind of Deity which a man, consciously or unconsciously, worships, indicates the intellectual status of the worshipper.

• Psalm 82:6 I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of … “I said, `You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.” This passage is saying that God has appointed men to positions of authority in which they are considered as gods among the people.

• In John 10:34-35, Jesus quoted an Old Testament passage which said, “…You are gods. And all of you are sons of the Most High” (Psalm 82:6). So, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God (Galatians 4:7).

So, the question is will you realize you are a god and take your Hero’s Journey to prove it to yourself.

The truth is, the Hero’s Journey makes you the best person you can be . . . armed with a plan that lets you become your authentic self.

In the Hero’s Journey paradigm-shifting training, you will discover how to:

● Overcome your fear and discomfort in most areas of your life
● Leverage your innate introverted strengths
● Target and connect with top experiences of life
● Leverage the power of Universal and Personal Mind

Whether you are a career professional or small business owner struggling to make a living or a professional who is hit a career plateau, the Hero’s Journey is your path to success, prosperity, abundance or a higher income and a rolodex of powerful experiences.

HELPFUL TOOLS:

Napoleon Hill’s Audiobook Outwitting the Devil (1) Napoleon Hill’s Audiobook Outwitting the Devil – YouTube

Contact us if you need a Life Plan Results or certain individual goals to result in 2021 and beyond.

Michael Kissinger

Phone 415-678-9965

Email: mjkkissinger@yahoo.com

What People Are Saying:

PS. “The Master Key System Hero’s Journey Blueprint that will change your life – a proven approach written by people who have actually done it. If you are looking for an actionable guide to genuine and effective solutions, this is it.”

I am so grateful for all the work MKE put into designing this system and program, the encouragement, acceptance, and honesty. This makes a huge difference in my life, the lives of my children, and of my clients. I am really excited about the future and feel a shift happening inside me that is very moving and exhilarating. Thank you!

 The MKE is for everyone – young and old. Our youth are our future!

Getting the Master Key System into the hands of our youth will make their future brighter because they will be living their dream. They become self-directed thinkers – not tied down by all the ideas society tells them to do.  Nothing is stopping them.  Nothing fills a parent’s heart with more joy than to see their children flourish and live their dreams because they are self-directed thinkers. Thanks to the Master Key Experience, Clayton is living his own Hero’s Journey.