Stories & Villains

“There’s a villain in every story.”

The funny thing is, no one ever thinks they’re that villain. We all paint ourselves as the hero in our own minds, with good reasons for everything we do. It’s how we sleep at night, believing we’re not that person, even when we’ve clearly messed up.

Breaking out of that self-talk is tough. We’d rather be the flawed hero struggling through challenges than admit we’re the ones causing them. Instead of facing the wreckage we’ve created, we explain it away, get defensive, or avoid the uncomfortable truth. But sometimes, the real answer is simple: say, “I’m sorry.” It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.

After all, no one wakes up planning to cause chaos or fail. Most of us aren’t out to sabotage anything, and yeah, there’s real evil in the world, but it’s rare and concentrated. The bigger question is whether you can step outside your own story long enough to see the mess from someone else’s point of view. That’s the real growth. That’s the power move.

Shifting your perspective is how you stop being the villain, even unintentionally. It’s how you get better, stronger, and ultimately move forward; that’s the path to something better.