You don’t have to parade around in Gladiator armour waving a sword to take part in something epic. Nor do you have to snog Leonardo Di Caprio on a sinking ship or run around telling people that frankly you don’t give a damn.

The term ‘epic’ is often applied to stories and films which are unapologetically dramatic and, let’s face it, too long to sit through without becoming glaringly aware of how uncomfortable your seat is. But epicness has quite another meaning when it comes to your own life story.

Your story may already be a successful one. You may already have a loving family, a good circle of friends, perhaps a nice income or even your own business. But how do you take all that to the next level of success? The answer is epicness.

What Is Epicness?

All human beings are driven by a set of needs that must be fulfilled in order to be safe and happy. Many sociologists, psychologists and self-improvement gurus have varied and expounded on the hierarchy, but all seem to agree on the essence of these needs.

Once you’ve covered the lowest rungs of the ladder of needs, including physical and emotional security, love, self-esteem and personal growth, it’s time to take it to the next level – the level you need to become EPIC!

So what’s the top need? Self-transcendence. Let’s put that in plain English. It’s about going beyond mere personal success. It might be having a mission that is perhaps spiritual or makes a contribution to the world which goes beyond yourself.

Epicness is ultimately achieved when your activity transcends your own personal concerns and actually reaches out and touches and influences other people in a positive way.

What Does It Take To Become Epic?

Now this self-transcendence business is not just about giving a standing order to charity, making your wife coffee every morning or leaving an inheritance for your kids. Those things are great, but to achieve Epicness, those things will not quite cut it.

If you want to become truly epic, you have to live and breathe contribution to others, involving it in everything you do. The ultimate way to do that? Make it part of your life’s mission – have a blueprint for life that transcends you and your immediate concerns.

When you write out your mission statement or personal manifesto, include a goal that will make a desirable difference to the world. It could be an invention, a way of teaching, the foundation of a charity, a website or a book to help others.

If you don’t yet have a fixed goal, you can at least commit to a daily attitude of contribution and transcending selfish desires. This means taking into account the whole of mankind when you go about your daily life and pursue your goals. Live by a rule of always checking that what you do will contribute positively to the world around you in a real and healthy way. This attitude and behaviour is one that produces epic results.

If you work hard enough at contributing, you may even leave the world the fruit of true epicness – a legacy that will live on after you. So, no need for a suit of armour, a rubber dinghy, or growing a Gable-esque moustache. Unless you want to do those things, of course. Instead, I’ll leave you with the words of a truly epic man:

“We are here for the sake of each other. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labours of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received…Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” – Albert Einstein