ROBIN WHEELER | How archetypes guide personal and professional growth

Being yourself for a living is archetypal. It works through structures that speak to each of us in personal yet universal ways, guiding us on our respective paths. Archetypes are on our side.

The primary one is the hero. Subjectively, we are all solitary, yet united through this aloneness and the mythic narratives that help us make sense of it. Each of us is the relatable protagonist on our own adventure.

Whichever role we play — and whatever happens around us — the story within is the same. Wherever we are on the journey, the growing relationship is with ourselves. Circumstances are reflections of our inner path, and the symbols we encounter are of timeless significance.

The hero is a warrior — someone with a strong sense of self who steps into life with intent and trust, growing through challenges that include severe self-doubt and even crises of faith. Such a soul is a serial Phoenix.

The hero-warrior is also an artist. Creativity is central, and you are loyal to the muse and the divine inspiration she bestows. You live in service of the higher, guided intuitively, organically and intelligently. You maintain a bohemian sovereignty, giving form to the flow as a way of life. Your work is your art, and your life is your masterpiece. People see it, feel it, and you sell it as part of your service.

Thus, the artist is also an entrepreneur. You are self-determining, accountable, independent — and consciously interdependent. You use your voice and co-create, whether in the corporate world or the free market. Enterprise is instinct, evolution is trade and community is currency. You move forward at the cutting edge, where innovation works through you.

Being yourself for a living is integration. It’s deep and whole; the new humanity in motion

Entrepreneurs know who they are and what the world needs — and they align the two, with vision. This brings business alive. They spot opportunity, cultivate deals and empower at every turn. They rebel and they lead, with purpose.

This means being a teacher — whether overtly, as a consultant, trainer or coach, or as a consequence of your growing expertise, influence and mentorship. Your work involves empowering others. Teaching is one of the most rewarding archetypes, as is healing. Your wounds are your gifts, and being yourself for a living means transmuting darkness into light. This transformation is your uniqueness, and seeing it reach others is sublime.

The healer ventures beyond convention, returns with hard-won insights and elixirs, and shares them for the benefit of the tribe through art and commerce. It’s the soulful spread of authenticity. Not everyone likes it — it can provoke jealousy and even hatred. You must be sincere, good friends with your shadow, willing to grow, and robust in your response.

Being the hero, warrior, artist and entrepreneur nourishes self-management and sees you through testing times. Throw in a healthy dose of the jester when needed and don’t fear being the fool.

Being yourself for a living is integration. It’s deep and whole; the new humanity in motion. Your spiritual reality merges with your physical, setting you apart while bringing people together. Higher awareness and higher self lead to higher branding.

Whatever the story, we all have the same archetypes and we can commune using their language. Mastering the archetypes within allows you to relate well to them in others.

All individuals and organisations are, to some degree, being themselves for a living. Awareness and deliberate action shape the process. It is complex and compelling — on one hand, nothing could be more obvious; on the other, the most ambitious pursuit imaginable.

Somewhere in between lies the knack. You work on the elements and the X-factor takes over. It’s your doing, and at the same time, it’s from the beyond. It’s a dynamic state of individuation — and pure power.

• Robin Wheeler helps people around the world be themselves for a living through talks, consulting projects and books.