The Call to Adventure: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Careers

Introduction

I recently watched the movie The Boy and the Heron, a supernatural coming of age animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In this adventure, a boy relocated to an unfamiliar town and, during his exploration of the gardens at their new residence, encountered a beautiful Heron. However, it soon became clear that the Heron wasn't an ordinary bird. Indeed, as the story progressed, the Heron continually stalked the boy and slowly deformed into a creature that can talk all whilst developing grotesquely shaped human features.

The Heron with human teeth and a large misshapen nose protruding from its mouth.

Unaspiringly, the boy is frightened yet emboldened to chase down the bird once

the Heron promised him that he could bring his mother back from the dead. As the story unfolds, the Heron transforms completely from a grotesquely anthropomorphic bird into a funny looking man in a birdlike suite - and evidently a helper to guide him through a supernatural world hidden inside an abandoned building. The ensuing adventure ultimately transformed the boy into a more resilient and mature adult.

The storyline as outline above is archetypal. That is, while the presentation of the story is fresh and innovative, the central theme has been told and retold for millennia by diverse cultures around the world. These mythical representations of reality are often related to one another because they convey an underlying universal truth that elucidates unconscious or inexpressible parts of ourselves. In this blog post, we’ll delve into this timeless storyline and uncover its surprising connection to modern careers.

The call to adventure comes from unexpected sources

The Heron as described above is an inamicable creature. He is slightly grotesque and persistent with his intrusions into your life. Indeed, the messenger is often not your friendly mailman, or your knight in shining armour, it is the frog that talks to the princess, and the dying man that shocks Siddhartha into a search for meaning and spiritual enlightenment. Ultimately these messengers indicate a crisis moment in the hero's life - it is the disruption of an ideal world by an unconscious force that reveals to us the fact that things are not as they seem. Because these messengers often convey uncomfortable truths, they necessarily appear frightening. As Joseph Campbell writes:

"...for the frog, the serpent, the rejected one, is the unconscious deep wherein are hoarded all of the rejected, unadmitted, unrecognized, unknown, or undeveloped factors, laws, and elements of existence."

Because the messengers come from socially unacceptable or hidden parts of ourselves and our culture, they are often viewed as subversive or threating by the world. Think how often we avoid the idea of death, yet it is an inextricable part of life. Think how often disruptive technologies are met with fear rather than curiosity, even though they hold the potential for transformation and innovation. However, when the hero in the story accepts the guidance of the mysterious messenger, an unforgettable and transformative journey often ensues.

Careers often follow a similar narrative arc. Around the age of 18 in many Western cultures, adolescents are expected to choose a path - whether through tertiary education or by entering the workforce. This decision marks the end of one developmental chapter and the beginning of another, echoing the mythic hero’s transition into an unfamiliar, sometimes supernatural realm guided by a strange and unsettling figure.

However, young people are not always in tune with their inner needs and desires. They may also lack accurate insight into the realities of the world of work. As a result, this transition can feel intimidating. Normal uncertainties may be misinterpreted as threats, and instead of actively exploring their options, many adolescents may unconsciously rely on their family or friends to make the decision for them. How often have teenagers chosen a university because their friends will be there as opposed to the educational opportunity it provides? Similarly, many students pursue careers based primarily on financial return or perceived status, rather than on the deeper satisfaction the work might bring.

In these cases, the career choice is less an empowered act of autonomy and more a surrender to convention and comfort. The call to adventure, the invitation to explore unconventional or uncertain career paths, is too often declined in favour of stability and predictability.

What then is the result of declining the call to adventure? In truth, one can often become externally successful. A stable career with an uneventful life can bring financial success. However, a complete suppression of creative expression through one's work may result in psychological imprisonment, where a less meaningful life is lived. As Joseph Campbell writes:

Walled in boredom, hard work, or "culture", the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved.

I can already hear the sceptical reader asking: Should you then abandon conformity, rules, and other societal expectations to pursue a career that may (but is not guaranteed to) be fulfilling all while accepting little financial returns? Certainly not. The hero always returns from their mystical adventures back to the ordinary life where work is again as it was before the adventure. Yet, by embracing exploration and uncertainty, an inner transformation often occurres, making ordinary work feel meaningful. Take for example the Zen proverb below:

Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

This Zen proverb captures the idea that enlightenment doesn't necessarily change your external circumstances - you still perform the same daily tasks. But your inner relationship to those tasks changes profoundly. What was once mundane becomes meaningful, peaceful, or simply accepted as it is. In the context of work, the call to adventure is not a rejection of duty, but an act of integration. It reflects a decision made by your whole self, one that allows you to accept the sacrifices inherent in any chosen career path. The burden becomes bearable because it’s one you embraced consciously, rather than stumbled into unconsciously.

Conclusion

The hero's journey is filled with exciting adventures and near insurmountable challenges. However, the call to adventure bears fruit that one could not reap otherwise. While it's important to stay realistic about your career plans, it can be helpful to occasionally explore and imagine unconventional and impractical paths - especially when you're feeling frustrated or stuck.

Karen James Chopra offers an exercise designed to uncover unconscious desires. The goal isn’t to be practical or to pursue any of the careers you generate, but to invite your whole self, even the irrational parts, into the conversation.

Imagine you have 9 lives, and you have to work in all of them. However, no matter what career you choose, assume that:

• Each career is viewed as equally prestigious by others.

• No matter what you choose, you will have enough money to sustain yourself.

• You have the skills and resources to achieve whatever career you desire.

Now, choose 9 different careers for each life based on the rules outlined above. Are there any patterns in those careers?

References

Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces (Vol. 17). New World Library.

Flemons, D. G. (2005). Finding True North How to Help Clients Find A Fulfilling Career Path: Case Commentary. Psychotherapy Networker, 29.