What makes it Super?

16th July 2012 - "What makes it Super?"

I've been thinking for a while what makes a Super Hero (or Super Villain) Super?  Why aren't they just Heroes & Villains?  You might think, like I have, that it's super powers that make the Hero super.  But I've discussed previously that there are many comic book Super Heroes that have no super powers (Batman, Punisher, etc.)

Before we go too far lets define what Super is.  As an adjective Super means of the highest degree, of an extreme or excessive degree, or of a first degree - as in very good & first rate. Effectively Super Heroes & Super Villains are the best in their fields.  

Well maybe, like Batman & Punisher, the Super Hero is super good at a skill set?   That may be the case with many heroes but it's not what I'm going for here.  (However, I think aptitude is an important ingredient.)  Specifically, Super Heroes & Super Villains have a track record that puts them ahead of others in their field. If I had to simplify it down to a sentence:

"Super Heroes & Super Villains are who they are because they actively choose, plan for, & cultivate the necessary attributes required to become the best Hero or Villain they can be." 

By now you must be wondering why I keep adding in Super Villains to the discussion; "isn't this the Hero-Hearted Blog?"   Yes, you are in the right place.  The truth of the matter is being a Hero or being a Villain is very similar; being a Hero just takes a little more work.  Everyday each of us chooses whether to be a Hero or a Villain; sometimes multiple times a day we make this choice.  

• Someone comes to you with an embarrassing moment - Do you say the encouraging thing or say the funny thing that gets a laugh but mocks the troubled person?
• An old guy needs help carrying something - Do you stop & help or walk past pretending he doesn't exist, like the 3 people before you did?
• Do you choose the chips or the protein bar? 

You might say "But these are small things, they don't make or break being a Hero."  Little daily decisions define us. Who are you when no one you care about is looking?  

Generally, becoming a Super Villain doesn't happen overnight - it's a slow fade.  For many, the choice to be a normal Villain is easy, just choose yourself first.  And in many ways it's easy to choose the Hero's path when a moment of crisis arises, or if it feels good.  But this post isn't talking about Heroes & Villains, it's about Super Heroes & Super Villains.  This is about the little daily choices.  This is about making an active decision, choosing a side, planning for a future moment where you will need to be great.  What do you choose?  Who would you like to become?  

Actions become habitual & habits form your character which will ultimately determine your destiny.  Deeper at the root, what you think will determine how you choose to act & thoughts are just decisions; daily decisions.

Making the Hero/Villain choice is the easy part; living it is something else.  That's why the choice must be made everyday.  I hope you chose the Hero's path.  The world needs more Heroes.  Now, if you don't already know it, let me tell you first hand that you will fall down in your pursuit of being a hero.  Today I chose the chips.  But I have heard it said "A hero is the guy who gets up one more time."  Falling down does not force us on the Villain's path, staying down does.  

So I may never have super powers (but wouldn't that be awesome!) & may never be known for my heroics.  However, there is a Hero hidden inside of me that I can work towards being. I can choose daily to become a Super Hero.  Who are you choosing to become?