Circle of the 9 Muses

Chapter 8

Use this exercise to clarify the voice of your brand or offering; when you wish to uncover deep, timeless, and universal patterns that lie buried in your own personal leadership story; or you wish to link your offering to your audience's most deeply held archetypal needs.

For this exercise you will need:

• A document that describes the 16 archetypes as they are described in this chapter
• A set of blank index cards (or large sticky notes that are approximately the size of an index card). Alternatively, you may purchase a set of archetype cards from www.DavidHutchens.com.

Why are people universally fascinated by personalities, such as Princess Diana, Steve Jobs, or Nelson Mandela? And why do we feel such deep connections to brands, such as Coca-Cola or Nike?

The theory of archetypes suggests that there are deep, timeless patterns of identity that all human beings respond to. This is why stories such as the Greek myths or Grimm's fairy tales have been preserved over the centuries. According to Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist who founded the field of analytical psychology, these patterns are subconscious and universal. Jung even proposed that these patterns are biological and inherited. Think about that for a second. Your baby was born, Jung might suggest, with a predisposition to love Bilbo Baggins.

Stories that trigger these buried, archetypal patterns are incredibly ...