“He’s my hero.”

“She’s my hero.”

We hear those words thrown around so much these days that sometimes I wonder if the term is overused. It also got me to think about what truly defines a hero. When I was a kid, my hero was Wonder Woman. I thought she could do anything, even save the world from evil. As I grew older, my heroes broadened. Yours probably did too. Maybe you admire a sports figure like LeBron James or Russell Wilson. Heroes can also work in occupations like that of a soldier, police officer, or firefighter.

How are heroes defined? Merriam-Webster has many definitions, but it boils down to a person who either is admired for great or brave acts or for fine qualities or a person who is greatly admired. I would also like to add that heroes influence us in ways we may or may not recognize. In my mind, heroes fall into one of four categories:

• The larger-than-life hero
• The occupational hero
• The quiet hero
• The hidden hero

Over the next four blog posts, I’ll delve into each of these a little more and try to answer, from my own viewpoint, the following questions:

• What defines this type of hero?
• Why do they have an influence on those around them?
• How do they conduct themselves as a result of their hero status?

I hope that these posts will make you think who you see as heroes. Maybe you’ll observe them closer as well.

This post does not mention any products. Therefore, I am not receiving any compensation for writing this post. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”