Over the last five months I wrote a series of articles about my hometown team, the World Champion Chicago White Sox.

Early on, I detected that they were heading for a meltdown.

Coming off a hot 2005 campaign, marred only by a late season slide while the Indians surged, the Sox actually telegraphed their own difficulties.

By the third game of 2006, newly appointed team captain Paul Konerko conceded: “We’re not the team we were last year.”

That’s not the statement of a winner or even of a hopeful.

Then there were the histrionics of manager Ozzie Guillen, whom senior management dizzily dubbed, “A Dennis the Menace.” Several I.Q. points short of genius, Oz has a knack for insulting people and distracting his players from concentrating on ballgames.

In the meantime, general manager Ken Williams decided, mostly, to stand pat and do few trades after spring training.

Contrast this “What, me worry?” posture with what Ned Colletti has been doing with the L.A. Dodgers. Colletti has been constantly changing the mix of personnel to make L.A. a contender this year, and it seems to be paying off.

The Sox went for eight decades without a World Championship, and then with only one under their belts, they felt satisfied, and have been napping ever since.

You just can’t let that happen.

Taking a cue from bodybuilders, the Sox would do themselves and their fans a favor by adopting the theme, “Stay Hungry!”

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 750 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or management meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.

Consider this:

Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 – uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 – uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 – uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 – uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 – uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) – All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero’s Journey.

Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

Editing Effects

It is of importance that the Hero’s Journey should be considered a Process rather than a linear guideline.

Although a significant majority of successful stories follow the Hero’s Journey in a linear fashion (Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) etc), a less significant number of successful stories play with the linear timeline:

a) In Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000), we first meet the supernatural aids (Li and Shu Lien) and learn of their challenge (that they love each other) before we meet the heroine, who appears (on first viewing) to be the Shape Shifter.

b) In Midnight Cowboy (1969), Joe Buck sets off almost immediately on his journey and flashbacks are used (to great effect) to introduce the character, his Call etc

Learn more

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/