Joseph Campbell was a man of many interests.
He was most famous for his work on mythology, but he also loved to study dreams, art, psychology, literature, and anthropology.
He didn’t follow the path that society laid out for him. When the Great Depression hit, he retreated to a cabin and read for over 9 hours a day. He went from studying aboriginal peoples to James Joyce to the symbology behind Tarot cards. There was no telling where he was headed next at any given point.
Through his writings, in particular, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Campbell inspired a generation of filmmakers. George Miller, Stephen Spielberg, and George Lucas all give him a great deal of credit for their success.
“It’s possible that if I had not run across him I would still be writing Star Wars today.”
-George Lucas
After his books helped inspire Luke Skywalker’s journey, many people turned to Campbell to seek words of encouragement for their own journeys.
Whenever he was asked about career advice or finding one’s own way in life, he offered the same words wisdom:
Follow your bliss.
It’s pretty simple advice but can at times be hard to follow. Since I read The Hero’s Journey I’ve been trying to remind myself to lean into the things I enjoy and step away from the things I don’t. Sometimes the latter is even more important. If you let go of things holding you down, you free up space for things that you love.
In my case, that means more time for sitting and coffee.
“I’ve followed my bliss. And it’s been a good way.”
-Joseph Campbell