“The imaginative ability to hold up a hero in his mind to copy in all appropriate ways, to let him serve as a standard by which to judge himself.”
– David Brooks, The Road to Character
We all have people we admire. Historical figures. Mentors. Characters from books, or even people we’ve never met. And sometimes, those figures become more than just admiration, they become standards. Quiet guides we carry inside us.
This isn’t about comparison. It’s about aspiration. David Brooks calls it an “imaginative ability”. The act of holding up a model of virtue or courage or humility and asking: How would they handle this? What would they choose? Am I living in a way that would make them proud?
In this way, narrative and character are bound together. The heroes we choose reflect the values we want to grow into. They become landmarks on the moral map we’re trying to navigate. Not as unreachable icons, but as invitations to live better.
Today’s journal prompt:
Who is a personal hero, real or fictional, whose example you try to live by?
What qualities do they embody that resonate with you? How can you carry a little more of that into your life today?
Happy journaling.
Dave Bawden is the founder of This Journaling Journey, where he helps people (especially men) use journaling to rewrite their personal myths, reconnect with meaning, and define success on their own terms. He writes at the intersection of self-authorship, narrative identity, and everyday philosophy.
