When I wrote my new book Once Upon a Place, I was fascinated with the symbolism and imagery of stories: from fairy tales to myths, from movies to epic adventures. In my research, I found many symbols that resonated with me and my understanding of the human experience. But I also found something unexpected: guidance from past storytellers about moving forward on a path of strength with lessons in personal growth. In other words, I discovered these stories not only show "the hero's journey" and its images of adventure; they also teach us how to use these images to support ourselves on our own very real paths.

In fact, I learned eight very clear lessons that teach how to create a hero's journey mindset for success when we face our own trials and tribulations. The hero's journey (or as I call it, the World Journey) appeals to me as a metaphor for success on many levels. First, while I am an entrepreneur coach who teaches practical things such as budgets, I also recognize that facing challenges to grow as a professional is inherent in a brand leader's journey. Second, while I am an herbalist who appreciates botany, I recognize that the beautiful dance a seed performs when it falls from a plant, lies in the darkness in the earth, and then pushes through the soil to sprout into the light is a perfect metaphor for personal growth.

I would imagine that when most people hear the story of the seed they don't generally think of Star Wars and Luke Skywalker's adventure through outer space, but in literary terms, it's very much the same thing. In fact, Joseph Campbell, the identifier of the mythic hero's process inspired Star Wars director George Lucas; Lucas befriended Campbell and embedded this descent-and-resurrection imagery into complex layers and scenes in his films.

Central to World Journey stories is becoming a better person. Use these eight lessons gleaned from myths and tales to build your own mindset for success:

1. Set a goal. A SMART goal (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound) is great, although when you're talking about facing daily human challenges, realistic may seem blurry. Nevertheless, set a goal: this is a target or an outcome that you really want to happen and you're willing to work for it.

I found this was well-demonstrated in the story of Misiti, an African tale of a woman whose marriage was rocky and she sought the help of the village elder to fix it. The elder gave her a goal: pluck a whisker from the chin of a wild lion and bring it to him so he could brew a magic elixir. This was a terrifying goal, an impossible goal, but it set Misiti on an adventure that would change her life.

It doesn't matter that Misiti didn't set the goal herself and that it was assigned to her. What matters is that she took it up with gusto and was dedicated to achieving it. She developed a strategy, walked into the wilderness of the jungle, and found the wild beast. Screwing up her courage, she found a solution. (Spoiler alert: she plucked the whisker from the lion's chin.) And because she did, she not only improved her marriage but understood more about her own abilities and her capacity to thrive.

2. Don't give in to fear. To create a mindset for success, you want to face fear and overcome it. You can't ignore fear or refuse to admit that you're fearful, because fear is part of us and we must acknowledge it and act anyway. This is what young Vasalisa in the ancient Russian folktale does when she encounters the terrible witch Baba Yaga in the Forest. Vasalisa feels tremendous fear, but she doesn't run away. Instead, she proceeds calmly and steadfastly to do the tasks Baba Yaga sets for her. Of course, it helps that she has a magic doll in her pocket that completes the impossible tasks for her. But beyond that, Vasalisa addresses the witch in a way that we can model: with sincerity and strength.

3. Be willing to change. This is a must if we wish to grow. There is no growth or success without change, whether it's in your job, your relationships, or your health. And while change can be scary, it can also be profoundly enlightening. Many of us are open to change when we are young but then, as we age, we tend to enjoy a life that is more static even though this keeps us from growing. For instance, when we are teenagers we may take on a variety of jobs to earn extra cash, such as mowing lawns, babysitting, and being a lifeguard. But when we're older we feel losing the security of a solid career is something we can't risk, though this may shackle us and keep us from exploring broader options.

Change is essential to growth. Take the Welsh myth of Cerridwen, the great and colorful goddess of wisdom. Cerridwen gives birth to two babies, a lovely girl and an ugly boy. To make up for his appearance, the goddess decides to bestow upon him great gifts of wisdom and poetry by brewing a magic broth in her fantastic cauldron. But on the day the brew is ready, her assistant Gwion is accidently splattered with a drop on his finger and upon sticking his finger in his mouth, he attains all the wisdom and poetry that was meant for the baby.

Enraged, Cerridwen attacks him. But Gwion shape-shifts, turning into a rabbit. In an instant, cunning Cerridwen turns into a greyhound. Gwion changes into a fish, then Cerridwen into an otter. Gwion into a bird and Cerridwen into a hawk. And lastly, Gwion changes into a grain of corn and Cerridwen eats him up.

The character's anger isn't the point, nor is her passion, though these can be fine-tuned in real life to support creativity and fire when needed. The point is the ability to shift, to flex, and to flow in ways that support our goals, and to be willing to mobilize and break from normal habits so that we can achieve enlightenment.

4. Welcome the Guides. One of the primary themes of the World Journey is the presence of both beasts and guides. Many of us don't think about the need for guides in our lives and we push through our problems in isolation, oblivious to the fact that there are people (or animals or energies) available to help us. Welcoming guides into your life, especially when you're facing a challenge, can advance you on your path faster than anything.

Stories are replete with guides. The 4,000-year-old tale of Gilgamesh tells of him gaining guidance from the Alewife who cautions him about crossing the fearsome waters, and later from the Noah-like immortal Uta-napishtim who finally reveals to Gilgamesh the location of the plant of everlasting life. Without the guides, Gilgamesh's story would have ended very differently. Of course, there's also Pinocchio, who likens a person's internal code of morals and conscience to a helpful guide and embodies the concept of a mentor.

From the myths of Inanna to dozens of modern superhero films, World Journey stories shine with helpful examples of guides, which is to say: they're important. Don't dismiss them. Let them help you and even seek them out. Sacrifice that feeling of stubborn independence and ask for help. And then… be a mentor for someone else.

5. Accept the Ups and Downs. Stories of personal transformation are filled with little failures along the way, the downs that give rise to the ups. It's inherent in World Journey tales, but too often we perceive the real bumps in our lives as utter failures. And we give up.

Instead, appreciate the descent-and-resurrection of the Journey. The entire point of scrambling down into the Cavern or diving into the Deep (two of the five locations of the Abyss in Once Upon a Place) is so that you can rise back up again.

When life's obstacles get you down, look at it as an opportunity. In fact, in my book I identify only three stories ever shared that have pointed to the complete failure of the hero or main character. Only three stories out of hundreds that have withstood time and cultures portray the hero as a failure? That's pretty good odds. It means that the vast majority of stories show people succeeding, resurrecting, and achieving their purpose. You can, too.

6. Relish the Adventure. When you're in the thick of something challenging, it may not feel like a grand adventure, but what else is life? Unless it is truly a life-threatening situation, our problems generally are, as Marie Forleo says, "figureouttable." The recent hit film Wicked, based on the Broadway play and the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, was so popular in part because of the vivacious, won't-quit attitudes of the main characters. They were beset with obstacles, from weather to betrayal to magic to greed, but they were eager to accomplish what mattered to them and what they felt was right. If you have a purpose in life (and if you don't, you should develop one), you owe it to yourself to pursue it. Be eager for life, for epiphany, for learning. Curiosity is at the heart of personal growth.

7. Empower Others Along the Way. The story of Madchen, a German folktale more commonly known as Frau Holle, celebrates two life-changing traits: the empowerment of and compassion for others. When the young girl Madchen jumps into a well to retrieve a dropped spindle, she ends up falling into a magical land. As she walks along, she passes an apple tree overflowing with apples, and the tree calls out to her: "Help! Harvest my apples or my branches will break." Madchen gathers the apples and then hears an oven filled with fragrant, baking loaves of bread: "Help! Take out the loaves before we burn!" She removes the loaves and takes them and the apples to Frau Holle's cabin, where she is tasked with domestic chores.

Because Madchen showed empathy and a strong work ethic, she returns from the magical land with gifts of gold, which her sister wants for herself. The sister jumps down the well, but ignores the apple tree and shuns the bread oven. She arrives at Frau Holle's empty-handed and then refuses to do any chores. The witch punishes her, and the morality tale's lesson is clear: hard work and empathy are valued.

In your own life: even when you're facing challenges, go out of your way to help others. Lift others up, stand up for your coworker, give credit where it's due, shovel your neighbor's sidewalk, be helpful. As they say, a high tide lifts all boats. Your adventure will never suffer for practicing empathy.

8. Give it All for Your Higher Purpose. Finally, the eighth lesson: don't hold back. Give it all. Many of us let our fear or our ego get in the way of really giving it all and doing everything we can to achieve our goals. Creating a World Journey mindset for success includes going above and beyond and truly challenging yourself to grow. In my own life, I've experienced this when I had the thought to open an herbal medicine school. At first I was skeptical that I could or should do it and I hesitated. There are other herbalists more qualified than me, I reasoned. But a series of questions to myself proved that I was more than capable, and it was time. I put hesitation aside and launched my herb school, which has been not only successful but enjoyable.

A little-known Grimm's tale tells the story of "the Poor Maiden" who has only the clothes on her back and a crust of bread. As she walks along, she encounters hungry children, so she gives them her bread. She encounters cold children, so she gives them her outer clothes. Finally, she comes to the edge of a deep, dark forest where more children are begging. She reasons with herself that in the darkness of the forest, modesty won't matter, so she gives away every last shred of clothing to help the children. Immediately, "the stars fall from Heaven and turn into silver coins, and she becomes rich."

These stories have endured because our hearts love an adventure and, importantly, because our minds understand the necessity of these critical lessons. To achieve your higher purpose, you must push past the insecurities, fear, and ego that hold you back. The colorful imagery we find on the World Journey ultimately points to a higher good: that with perseverance and the help of these eight lessons,we will discover personal growth, epiphany, and joy.