We Need to Stop Treating People Like Heroes

There is a tendency we have that has always worried me but it seems worse now then ever. It doesn’t matter if it’s business, fitness, parenting, or just life. We are always taking regular ass people and turning them into something bigger. Not just respected, even some admiration is okay, but raised up to this level where we act like they’ve figured every damn thing out and are somehow operating on a different level than the rest of us.

And the bullshit part is, we all know that’s not true.

Think about your own life. Do you know anyone who is actually perfect? Someone who never fucks up, never says something stupid, never makes a decision they regret, never has a bad day?

I don’t either. And just to get ahead of shit, that includes me too (according to my wife). I’ve made bad calls, said things I regretted instantly, and had moments where I thought I had something figured out only to realize later I didn't know wtf I was thinking. Again, according to my wife.

That’s just being human.

So why do we keep acting like certain people are above that? 

Why We Naturally Turn People Into Heroes

Life is messy, and we don’t like messy.

We like clear, easy answers. We like confidence. We like the idea that someone out there has already figured things out so we don’t have to struggle through it ourselves. When someone seems successful or put together, it gives us something to work towards. I wouldn't even say we like it, we basically need these things. 

We start by respecting what they’ve done. That part is normal. Someone builds something meaningful, gets in great shape, or advocates for change. That’s worth paying attention to.

But then it shifts.

We stop focusing on what they did and start focusing on who we think they are. We assume they’re disciplined in everything, smart about everything, and consistent all the time. Without even realizing it, we turn them into something they are not.

Blurring the Line Between Story and Reality

This is the same thing we’ve always done with stories. We love characters who feel bigger than life. People who overcome all the bullshit,  who stay strong when things get hard, who always make the right call at the right exact time.

Look at Kratos from God of War. When you’re playing the game, he feels unstoppable. He’s strong as hell and focused. He’s so angry he gets the ability to kill gods and eventually even becomes one. Trust me, this MF is angry and has an absolutely terrible past.

The difference is, people know this is a story. But in real life, we forget that.

The Problem With Heroes

The second you put someone on a pedestal, you’ve created a situation where they will disappoint you.

Not because they’re secretly terrible. But because they’re human. Okay, looking at recent events they literally can be secretly terrible also.

At some point, something will come up. It always does. Maybe it’s something they said years ago. Maybe it’s something they used to believe but no longer do. Maybe it’s just a moment where they show they don’t actually have everything figured out. And when that happens, people don’t step back and think it’s the past.

They flip. The same person who was being praised gets torn apart. The same people who were defending them are now acting shocked, like they were lied to. The only thing that changed was the fake image they created in their head.

Social Media Makes Makes This Worse

Like everything in life, social media has made it worse.

Everything is recorded now. Everything is saved. Everything can and will come back years later. So when we decide to treat someone like they’re perfect, we are going to be very disappointed when shit comes out about them. And it always does.

You see it all the damn time. Someone builds something meaningful, helps people, creates real impact, and then years and now decades later something comes out. 

And suddenly, everything they’ve done or been part of gets questioned. Good work doesn’t suddenly stop being good because the person behind it isn’t a god.

But when everything is tied to one single damn person, that’s what happens.

We’re Destroying Good Work by Focusing on the Wrong Thing

When we attach everything to one person, we make the work second to them. If that person falls, the work falls with them in people’s eyes. It doesn’t matter how many people it helped or how meaningful it was. It gets lumped together.

We should be focusing on the impact, not the individual. The work should be able to stand on its own. The ideas should be able to exist beyond the person who shared them.

Because if we don’t do that, we end up losing good things for the wrong reasons.

Final Thought

If you’re going to look up to someone, keep it grounded.

Respect what they’ve done. Learn from the parts that actually apply to your life. But don’t turn them into something they’re not. Because the second you do that, you stop seeing them clearly. You start seeing a version you created. And that version will always fall apart.

And honestly, we don’t need heroes. We need real examples, real lessons, and the ability to think for ourselves. 

If this made you rethink even one person you’ve been putting on a pedestal… congrats, you just saved yourself from future disappointment.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you ever want to connect, feel free to email me at savepointdad@gmail.com. And if you’re not already following along, you can find me on Instagram @SavePointDad.