This is part 3 of a series this week about Superheroes. Check out the previous parts of the series if you haven’t already read them:
Part 0: Be a Superhero
Part 1: Superhero 1 – Batman
Part 2: Superhero 2 – Spiderman
Today we’ll be learning from the Green Lantern. I’ve always found the Green Lantern quite cool for the simple reason that he can seemingly do everything. And his power ring is the reason behind that.
The power ring is basically what gives the Green Lantern his powers, and it can do a variety of things. It has even been described as “the most powerful weapon in the universe” on a number of occasions. However, I want to focus on one thing about the ring. The ring is sustained by the wearer’s will power, and it is basically limited only by the wearer’s imagination.
That’s the first lesson we can learn from the Green Lantern. The combination of will power and imagination is essential. Even the power ring is useless if the wearer does not possess the will power to sustain it or the imagination to use it well. Similarly, all the equipment and resources in the world will be useless you have the willpower and imagination in what you’re doing.
For the second lesson, I want to focus on the last of the Green Lanterns, Kyle Rayner. Kyle is the only one who could resist Parallax (a villain that feeds on fear). While Hal Jordan (a previous Green Lantern) succumbed to Parallax, Kyle could resist Parallax (in Rebirth) because he knows fear, and is able to overcome it. Kyle knew how to keep fighting even despite his fear. That set him apart from the rest of the Green Lanterns.
And I think that’s a crucial lesson. Being able to fight through fear is better than having no fear at all. Fear is what makes us human. It’s something we should learn to build upon and overcome, not something to be avoided. Without fear, there is no courage. We need to learn to accept fear and overcome it, not avoid it.
Recap:
Lesson 1: You don’t need special skills to be a superhero, you just need to make the most of what you do have. (from Batman)
Lesson 2: Be sensitive to what is going on around you. Pay attention to what is going on in the world around, and respond accordingly.
Lesson 3: To be a superhero, you need to take personal responsibility for the problems around. Make the world’s problems your problems. (from Spiderman)
And today’s lessons from the Green Lantern:
Lesson 4: Willpower and imagination are crucial to success. Even the best resources are nothing without the willpower and imagination to use them well.
Lesson 5: Don’t avoid fear. Embrace it and learn to overcome it. There are some things that can only be gained through fear.
What steps can you take to embrace and overcome your fears today?
