Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Mentor, Personal growth, The Hero’s Journey, Training

Copy Face your test

Face your test

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today January 28th, Chinese people worldwide kick off their new lunar year as they’re celebrating the year of the rooster. I’m Chinese too and I thought I’d be nice to join in by making veggie dumplings and steamed buns with my children today. Yummm, we love them!

The beginning of 2017 is also special for me. Ten years ago my life’s journey started as I decided to step into the unknown. I began working together with my mentor and it turned out to be a powerful and transformational time. He introduced me to public speaking and leadership training and I was hooked. This was like a homecoming for me and I realized soon I desperately wanted to take center stage too to speak and teach in front of live audiences.

I vividly remember my first presentation about The Hero’s Journey and personal leadership. It was in Amsterdam for a client of the local municipality. In that time I was living in this mellow city so I brought the techy stuff for my presentation, the projector, sound system and portable screen, with my customized Dutch cargo bike.

I was so excited and a bit nervous, of course, to have landed my first speaking gig in front of 60 people. They all came in, sat down and I started…

The outcome?

It wasn’t a success. I thought I was ready, but, aaargh, I started to use the exact same presentation, same words and same movie clips my mentor had used in a previous one that our client had seen before.

After I got the feedback, I was discouraged. I felt I had dissappointed my mentor, who was my employer too.


I remember what my mentor said to me then: ‘Don’t worry, it’s just your first presentation. It’s overwhelming. See what you can learn from it and be ready for the next one.’

So, this sure was a big test and big lesson for me. 

Can you see the parallels between the story I just told you and The Hero’s Journey? Let me break it down for you.

My Prologue (phase 1) was that I had a vision to do something with personal growth and inspiring movie clips. The Call (phase 2) came when I had the opportunity to work together with my mentor. Resistance (phase 3) was all about training my inner muscles and getting ready to speak and train. Meeting my Mentor (phase 4) had to do with learning from my mentor and joining him at in-company trainings to see him performing.

Selection (phase 5) was my deep dive. Standing on a stage and speaking with all the tools, practices and knowledge I had learned. It was a test to see if I was ready and also the metaphorical bridge to bring my inner essence to the outer world.

We all face tests in our lives. Some are more challenging than the other. You might remember your driving exam, job interviews or your first presentation. The lesson is that there’s an obstacle you want to overcome and you want to see if you can do it. Doing tests builds up your confidence and faith and allows you to grow. It brings you empowerment.

What was a big test for you and what did you learn from it?

Share your experience in the comments below!


I continue to share the insights of the movie Whale Rider. You can catch up with our heroine Paikea in my previous blog posts (see below).

In Paikea’s quest to become the new leader of her community she’s facing many tests. Finding the lost whale tooth necklace of her opposing grandfather Koro in the sea is one of them.

Here she’s on a boat while her uncle points the direction where the necklace was lost. He had gone on a previous boat trip with his father Koro (Paikea’s grandpa) and several boys from the tribe. As a test for their spirit, they had to retrieve the whale tooth necklace Koro had thrown into the sea. The boys didn’t succeed.

Will Paikea be successful?

I’ll tell you more about it in my next blog where I go to phase six of your Hero’s Journey: Star.

Have a blissful day!

From my heart to yours,
Kim Ho

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Kim Ho Leung

I’m an international leadership mentor, trainer and speaker. My passion is to support you to become a successful leader in your life and business.