The unseen heroes: the true face of progress

Because real heroes don’t always wear a cape. Sometimes, they simply learn to rise again and keep moving forward.

Luke Skywalker

Bilbo Baggins

And in the fantasy saga I just finished yesterday, I still can’t get over it! A heroine who fascinates with her courage and epic powers.

All different, yet all driven by the same thing: a call they hadn’t planned for.

A moment when it would have been easier to turn back. And yet, they chose to move forward.

Every great story begins like that: Someone entirely ordinary, thrown out of their comfort zone. A path they must walk without certainty, but with one conviction: movement is the only way to find strength. To move, even without knowing where it leads.

Moving, even when it’s hard

This morning, listening to Chantal Petitclerc in conversation with Kim Auclair from Capable entreprendre sans limites, talking about movement and routine, I couldn’t help but think of those heroes.

She shared how sports have always been part of her life, a way to maintain her energy. From what I gathered, moving has become second nature to her, even if it’s sometimes harder to keep the same rhythm.

And the more I listened, the more I thought: It’s not energy that brings movement. It’s often movement that brings energy back to life.

Everyday heroes

We admire heroes in books and movies. But there are others, very real, all around us.

Those who face illness, fear, loss or simply a day that feels too heavy.

Those who keep going, despite everything, tired, but still standing.

And then, there are the allies.

Those unexpected conversations that reignite a spark.

Good news that restores faith.

Small gestures of kindness that remind us the road is lighter when we don’t walk it alone.

Progress isn’t always spectacular. Sometimes, it’s just catching your breath, taking one more step or deciding not to shut down today.

The monsters we learn to live with

Our “monsters” aren’t as flamboyant as those in stories. But they share something in common: they grow when we stay still or pretend they don’t exist.

They show up as perfectionism, guilt, procrastination, fear of judgment or habits that drain us. And each one requires a different strategy.

Sometimes, coexistence is enough, you set boundaries with draining meetings, say no to what exhausts you. The monster’s still there, but it doesn’t have free rein.

Sometimes, you transform it, perfectionism becomes a healthy standard (a short deadline + constructive feedback); procrastination turns into small 10-minute tasks.

And sometimes, you have to eliminate it, end a habit that empties you (unsubscribe from a toxic newsletter, say no firmly, cut a draining relationship) and replace that void with something nourishing: a morning walk, a bit of journaling, a new ritual that fills you back up.

Each option has a cost and a reward. Coexisting protects your energy short term but may slow your growth. Transforming takes courage and time. Eliminating demands firmness, then rebuilding.

What matters most is choosing an action that allows you to get back on your path.

Movement is life

In stories, the “hero” and yes, the heroine too, always returns transformed. Sometimes because they’ve won everything, but often because they’ve discovered who they truly are. Because they faced what they feared, without waiting to be ready.

In real life, progress rarely comes as a leap. It’s a sequence of small steps, micro acts of courage that, over time, reshape your trajectory.

The true face of progress

You don’t need a lightsaber or a magic map to find your way. Just the willingness to keep moving, a little, every day, toward what makes you feel alive.

Because in the end, heroes aren’t the ones who are fearless. They’re the ones who choose to walk, even in the dark.