Addiction to Hero-ism

 Most of us have an idol in life from whom we seek motivation, but sometimes the idol is so far removed from our reality that it leaves us feeling like an underachiever. Then, who comes to our rescue? Another idol, who claims to be a mediator between failure and success. Once again, the innocent, the naive, and the vulnerable hold the new flavour icon in awe, and maybe this time, the demi-god is meant just for adoration and not to compete with in reality- however, fantasising to be ‘that’ icon, is another matter altogether. So, one uses them as a hallucinating drug to travel into the delusional world, where we wear a mask and masquerade our life! Result? Non-productive- manifesting only as a sense of failure and frustration, again.
So, why do we do this to ourselves? The answer is simple- we lack self-confidence and don’t endeavor to create morale from within- It’s also called low self-esteem. As a result, the hero inside- the real hero- is kept shackled in the dark dungeon of our own self-dismissive mindset of oblivion. The second reason for self-infliction with unrealistic heroism is, being lazy- as simple as that. Improving ownself is hard work, not conducive to the instant satisfaction that we all are weened on currently.
This is not to say that having a motivator is wrong, but we need to choose rightly for our fit. If I choose a footballer as my idol and wish to become a better writer- well, it’s not going to work. Admiration of talent, and idolising someone, are two different things. I can admire an actor, without any inclination to become one, but would choose a writer, especially in a genre of my own liking, to seek influence.
Also, there are certain rules to being a fan or a follower- I wouldn’t start to copy my hero’s writing; that’ll be plagiarism. Instead, apart from the books, I shall study my hero’s life, struggles, failures, and how this person rose to success against all the challenges. So, it’s not just the work, but the whole character that forms the influencing package. All this would be non-productive if I were not to follow up with motivation by ‘doing’ something to improve myself. To have an idol, one has to have a realistic ambition too.
Even in the field of spirituality, we seek motivation and information, and again, we idolise the source. It’s understandable that God seekers do need a ‘guru’, a teacher, or an influencer to progress. Absolutely a fair need. But to follow someone blindly without extrospective observation or introspection, would be unproductive. We begin our journey in spiritualism at different points, and have diverse reasons to seek God – so, choose your mentor carefully, to fit your needs.
Eventually, one needs to create own inspiration from within, to build a strong belief.
Having said that, if one believes deeply that there is a special person chosen to be a messenger of God’s word, and, if that message helps the individual to grow spiritually, then, by all means, build your belief by listening to the living mentors, philosophers, or just another friend in your circle whose advice might influence you positively. But, focus on the coaching and not the coach; follow the practical example rather than walk blindly behind a manipulative pied piper.   
In reality, most people are influenced by hero-worshipping, which could be a cult mentality, borne out of obsession, and stems from a negative mindset. There’s also a deeper psychological reason for the success of all the imaginative superheroes in the movies and books, so much so that we attribute similar characteristics to the religious figures and deities too. We need to be in awe of something or someone constantly. If not controlled, the next level of this obsession is to attribute an element of supernatural to the heroes, who would come to our aid to rescue us from all perils in life and sort out the problems we have no control over. Due to our own mental weakness, human beings have become addicted to such dependence. The wishful imagination ‘might’ help, temporarily, to release the pressure valve of stress, but choosing to stagnate in the rut of ‘awe for someone else’, and think that we can never reach the same level of awesomeness, is self-disparage. As hope declines in a person’s heart, the number of mentors increases- a perfect demand and supply business. We choose to become victims – ‘let someone else hold my finger, and better still, pick me up and take me to wherever I am served happiness in the plate’. In reality, such a service does not exist because life is a Self-Service counter, in both, the material world and spiritual world.
So, choose a hero, by all means, but apply the positive influence on your own life to grow in reality. Outside this, admire whichever celebrity or comic character you love – but take them or leave them at will.