--- title: "The Hero's 2 Journeys - Achievement & Transformation" description: "Discover the two essential journeys, achievement and transformation, that define your path to success and personal growth in any significant achievements." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/de07e44b-a8e0-4bcc-bcb0-13aec15421f1/headshot-front.jpg", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ], "jobTitle": "Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Blue Goat Cyber", "url": "https://bluegoatcyber.com/" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#website", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" }, "founder": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "The Hero's 2 Journeys - Achievement & Transformation - Christian Espinosa", "description": "Discover the two essential journeys, achievement and transformation, that define your path to success and personal growth in any significant achievements.", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/cd4e9655-748f-4e7a-a9d6-fff8bb525877/the-heros-2-journeys-achievement-transformation-hero.webp", "datePublished": "2020-07-15T09:35:14+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-06-26T05:37:38.351Z", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/blog/the-heros-2-journeys-achievement-transformation" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/about" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the core idea behind \"The Hero's 2 Journeys - Achievement & Transformation - Christian Espinosa\"?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The hero's 2 journeys are achievement, which is external, and transformation, which is internal. For any good story, we need these two elements." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Who is this post for?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Honestly, anyone who suspects the real life is happening in the ordinary hours, not the milestones. If you want a listicle, this is not that. If you want the honest version of what I have actually lived and worked through, keep reading." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I actually apply this, not just nod along?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Pick the single line in the post that made you flinch or look away, and change one thing in your week because of it. One choice this week beats a whole framework you never touch." } } ] } ] --- [Skip to content](#main) [](/) [About](/about)[Speaking](/speaking)[Cybersecurity](/cybersecurity)[Programs](/programs)[Books](/books)[Media](/media) Writing Search Ctrl K[Connect](/connect) [The In-Between](/blog/category/the-in-between) # The Hero's 2 Journeys - Achievement & Transformation July 15, 2020 3 min read 569 words I first heard about these two journeys from a book, \[The Hero’s 2 Journeys\], or maybe it was a course by Michael Hauge and Chris Vogler. I know these two journeys are critical to storytelling. They are also true to life. That’s why these two journeys help so much with storytelling. ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/cd4e9655-748f-4e7a-a9d6-fff8bb525877/the-heros-2-journeys-achievement-transformation-hero.webp) The takeaways 1. 01 This blog post is a transcript from the video at the bottom of the post. What to do next Name the one place in your life this week where blog is quietly running the show, and write it down before you go to bed tonight. 2. 02 That’s why these two journeys help so much with storytelling. What to do next Pick one conversation you have been putting off where journeys is the real subject, and have it before the week ends. 3. 03 People want a story that relates to real life. 4. 04 The two journeys are the outer path and the inner path. What to do next Choose one small action tied to journeys you can do in the next 24 hours that your future self would thank you for. This blog post is a transcript from the video at the bottom of the post. I first heard about these two journeys from a book, \[The Hero’s 2 Journeys\], or maybe it was a course by Michael Hauge and Chris Vogler. I know these two journeys are critical to storytelling. They are also true to life. That’s why these two journeys help so much with storytelling. People want a story that relates to real life. The two journeys are the outer path and the inner path. If I am pursuing a massive goal, people can see the steps I am taking. They can see the things that didn’t work. They can see my path towards that goal. If this is a cybersecurity certification, they can see the studying I am putting in, the videos I am watching, the bootcamp I take. They can see all the activities. So that’s one of those hero’s journeys, and it doesn’t have to be a hero’s path, it is just called the hero’s path. The second one, which is more important, is the inner path. The first one I described as the outer path, the one everyone can see as I am moving towards some goal or achievement. The inner path though is what’s really important. That’s the transformation I make along the way. How I change internally, how my belief system changes, how my identity changes, et cetera, et cetera. To achieve my goal, if it's a big goal, I may have to change internally to become a different person capable of achieving that goal. So that’s the second path, and that’s the transformation. Really, if I want to think about the two journeys, there’s the path of achievement, which is external, and there’s the path of transformation, which is internal. For any good story, I need these two elements. Because I think a lot about how this applies to life, for life, when you pursue something, people can see if you achieve it or not. But really what happens if you’re pursuing a new career, a new certification, a college degree, the most important part, and I think people lose focus of this sometimes, is the transformation of you through that process. Because often to achieve a higher goal, or if you set a higher standard for yourself, through that process, you become a better person or you develop different capabilities, or you change your belief system to support this new thing you’re trying to obtain. And sometimes through this path, you may realize that this thing you’re trying to obtain, this achievement or goal, isn’t actually that important anymore. Because through this process, you’ve grown and figured out what really matters to you. That’s the transformation. I urge you if you’re pursuing a goal, to think not only about what you’re trying to achieve, but think about the path you’re on, and how this changes you as a person. Frequently asked ### What is the core idea behind "The Hero's 2 Journeys - Achievement & Transformation - Christian Espinosa"? ### Who is this post for? ### How do I actually apply this, not just nod along? ### Work with me I help founders and cybersecurity leaders build teams that ship, not teams that stall. If that's the problem you're trying to solve, let's talk. 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He's an Air Force Academy graduate, 24x Ironman, climber of two of the Seven Summits, and the author of The Smartest Person in the Room and The In-Between: Life in the Micro. Keep reading - [ ### Putting a Goal of Awareness into Action - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/putting-a-goal-of-awareness-into-action) - [ ### No One Wants to Feel Alone in Times of Need - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/no-one-wants-to-feel-alone-in-times-of-need) - [ ### The Confidence-Competence Loop - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/the-confidence-competence-loop) [← Previous essay FOMO vs JOMO - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/fomo-vs-jomo)[Next essay → Are You Caught in the Success Trap? - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/are-you-caught-in-the-success-trap) Related, Cybersecurity ### Need medical-device or offensive security expertise? Blue Goat Cyber, Christian's firm, runs FDA-aligned premarket submissions, penetration testing, and SBOM/SOUP analysis for medtech and high-stakes industries. [Explore Blue Goat Cyber](/cybersecurity) Christian Espinosa Bestselling author, keynote speaker, and Founding CEO of [Blue Goat Cyber](https://bluegoatcyber.com/). Helping technical leaders develop the soft skills that turn brilliance into impact. 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