The classic hero’s journey begins with a call to adventure — an invitation to leave the familiar. In ordinary life, that call is usually much quieter.
The call is often inconvenient
It rarely arrives as a trumpet blast. More often it is a nagging sense that the current path has run its course, showing up at the least convenient moment.
Refusing the call
Campbell noted that heroes usually refuse the call at first. So do we. The refusal is comfortable, reasonable, and completely understandable. It is also, eventually, unsatisfying.
Crossing the threshold
At some point the cost of staying exceeds the fear of leaving. That is the threshold. Everything interesting happens on the other side of it.