ABSTRACT
Purpose and heroism are conceptually overlapping constructs. Both heroic and purposeful acts are intentionally performed as a means of being of service to the world beyond the self. In this way, heroic and purposeful acts share both elements of transcendence and a goal orientation. These constructs are so closely related in fact, that some have defined one in terms of the other. For instance, scholars have defined heroism as “an individual’s commitment to a noble purpose, usually aimed at furthering the welfare of others, and involving the willingness to accept the consequences of achieving that purpose” (Jayawickreme & Di Stefano, 2012, p. 165; see also Becker & Eagly, 2004; Campbell, 2008; Franco, Blue, & Zimbardo, 2011). In this conception, purpose is the essence of heroic action. In spite of their conceptual similarities, little has been written about how these constructs
overlap and how they differ. As a result, it has been unclear how these constructs might interact and if the promotion of one may influence the development of the other. Learning more about this relationship could have important implications for fostering both of these socially desirable and personally beneficial constructs. To that end, this chapter seeks to illuminate the nature of the relationship between purpose and heroism. In it we propose a framework that features two routes through which these constructs intersect. In one, which we term purpose-guided heroism, the development of purpose precedes heroic action, and in the other, which we call heroismguided purpose, heroic action precedes the formation of a purpose in life. Following our theoretical explanation of this framework, we profile two real life heroes whose experiences exemplify these different linkages. First, though, we provide brief overviews of heroism and purpose.
