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How to be a Real Superhero


superhero rule number one

First of all, the number one rule in being a superhero is that superheros aren't wimps! If you want to be a real superhero, you've got to be completely comfortable looking like a total goofball, because sometimes making people laugh is the only way to win against evil!

OK, now that you are prepared to let go of your inhibitions, and are ready to do whatever it takes to save the world, I'd like to give you a brief introduction to what being a real superhero is all about.

who's your role model?

I'm sure you've got your own favorite superhero from the vast history of traditional mythology and more modern pop culture stories, real and imaginary. And I'm sure you'll want to incorporate some of the more transferable qualities of those favorites into your own repertoire. Things like courage, intelligence, compassion, creativity, and a never ending supply of spinach. Feel free to consider what it is about your role models that really make them stand out from the superhero crowd.

it's all about the POWER!

One thing that all superheros have in common is that they all have some special power and they all use their super powers for good!

why normal people choose to become superheros...

Some folks have gone through life experiencing plenty of good, healthy stuff and they want to share that wealth of goodness with others. When these people focus their powers on helping others, they have a great opportunity to become very good, kind, and generous superheros.

Some folks have gone through life experiencing plenty of frustration, pain, and suffering and they want to make sure others have a better life. When these people focus their powers on helping others, they have a great opportunity to become very passionate, strong, and resilient superheros.

And some folks have had it all! Good, healthy stuff and frustration, pain, and suffering. When these people focus their powers on helping others, they have a great opportunity to become amazingly good, kind, generous, passionate, strong, and resilient superheros.

the four steps to being a superhero

1. know yourself
Be aware of all the resources you've got right now.
2. be your best self
Use all your resources effectively to get where you want to go.
3. know your community
Help others be aware of the resources they've got.
4. be a leader
Help others use all their resources effectively to get where they want to go.

Focus on just one of these at a time, for now, until you get the hang of being a superhero, at which point, you'll be able to do all of these at the same time, easily.

what are your powers?

Because living things function as beings that take in one form of energy and convert it to another form of energy, and because power is defined as a transfer of energy, as long as you are alive, you've got power!

Now that you realize that you are inherently powerful, you might want to consider what are you going to do with your power...

who are you going to help?

There are three possible beneficiaries of your power:

  • yourself
  • others
  • everyone

what kind of power are you going to use?

The power you wield comes in three forms:

  • push away - repelling others
  • pull towards - attracting others
  • balanced neutrality - acting as a safe haven for others

where is that power going to come from?

There are three sources of power:

  • internal - stuff you've already got inside your awesome self
  • external - raw material and off-the-shelf stuff that's out there just waiting to be used for making more awesome stuff
  • mixed - a little bit of your awesome self, and a little bit of stuff from your treasure chest

how is your power manifesting itself?

There are three ways you can use those powers:

  • physically - action! Do it! Do it now!
  • emotionally - sensing and feeling. Observe. Be aware of everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.
  • intellectually - thinking and planning. Use your knowledge to create better ideas!

Put it all together and you realize that you are in control of the who, what, where, and how of your power. As for the "when", that's going to be pretty much all the time! Remember, because life is a transference of energy, as long as you are alive, you're always using your power. Of course, even if you're not consciously aware of how your power is manifesting itself, you can rest assured that your unconscious mind continues to do it's duty carrying on your superhero work. You're on a mission, right? So while your conscious mind deserves to take a vacation now and then, your unconscious mind is always there in the background making sure that you're still making headway on your important mission.

so what is your mission anyway?

What, on earth (or any other part of the universe), do you want to accomplish? What kind of world would you like to see (and hear, and smell, and taste, and touch)? And how will you know when you've gotten there?

what kind of superhero are you?

We all have a unique set of particularly exceptional skills and wisdom that we bring to our mission. Pick your three most valuable attributes from the following list to describe your superhero "platform".

  • 1. Stability - I am balanced!
  • 2. Courage - I explore fearlessly!
  • 3. Hope - I see great things out there!
  • 4. Confidence - We can do it!
  • 5. Purposefulness - I know what I want!
  • 6. Unique Skills - I know Kung Foo! (Or rocket science! Or how to make an origami crane!)
  • 7. Multiple Perspectives - I celebrate diversity!
  • 8. Systems Theory - I've got the master plan!
  • 9. Quiet Wisdom - I am in harmony with myself.
  • 10. Peaceful Power - I have amazing control of my inner strength.
  • 11. Loud Wisdom - I understand how the universe works!
  • 12. Power Healing - I can use the power of the universe to heal the world!
  • 13. Pure focused energy - I am a sun, pouring energy out into the universe!

Of the three that you pick as your superhero platform, the one with the highest number is your main super power, with the other two being your basic strengths that make you a well rounded superhero.

your superhero image

What do you, as a real superhero, look and sound like? Consider how you want to express your superhero self to the world...

make yourself heard!

Using your special superpower and your mission as your guide, come up with a rallying cry that is fit to be heard by the whole world! We want to hear you make some noise! If you want, you can try out your rallying cry inside your head a few times first, before you're ready to unleash it, with all it's superhero magic, onto the public sphere.

make a scene!

Now that you've got a good picture of who you are as a superhero, a solid idea of what your mission is, and how you can use your powers, you can realize that no matter what you do with your superhero self, you are doing it because you love being a superhero and because it's more fun than doing anything else! And you are doing it because you get to wear the coolest costume you can imagine whenever you want. No matter what you do as a real superhero, you're going to get noticed for doing some great things.

to be continued...

Before we go, I want to let you know that the biggest difference between a fictional superhero and a real superhero is that real superheros are alive and are always continuously learning new things and growing more powerful physically, emotionally, and intellectually, so you, unlike Superman or Wonder Woman, can look forward to your powers getting even better in the future.





want more stuff to think about?

The Wise Turtle has all kinds of really intersting things to offer you. Most of it is very philosophical, so if you like thinking about all kinds of complex things, you might like to explore more pages on this website. This Superhero training is based on The Wise Turtle's AQAL Spiral Growth theory, and if you'd like more information about that theory visit:





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Want even more? Inspired? Amused? Just want to share your thoughts? Contact The Wise Turtle and see what she has to offer you! If you are a teacher or just someone who likes to talk to kids, the Fun Spiral of Life poster and the four sets of questions listed above make a great starting point for a wonderful discussion about how to grow up to be a really healthy person.