Submitted By: Rafiq Hasan
Profession/Background: Brand Strategist
Book Title: The Power of Myth
Author: Joseph Campbell
Before Reading the Book:
To be honest, I never thought I’d read a book about mythology—let alone love one. Growing up in Dhaka, myths were just old stories our grandparents told. I thought of them as bedtime tales or religious things, not something that could actually mean anything today. I was all about facts, logic, business strategies, and trying to build my career. I didn’t have time for legends or symbolism.
But as I got older, and honestly a bit burned out, I started to notice a weird emptiness. Like, I was doing “well” on paper, but something about life started feeling… flat. I couldn’t figure out why. I had checked all the right boxes, but I didn’t feel grounded in who I was or what I truly wanted. There was this quiet ache I couldn’t explain.
Discovering the Book That Changed Everything:
I came across “The Power of Myth” completely by chance. I was out with a friend who teaches literature, and we were talking about storytelling in branding (something I work with a lot). She just casually said, “You know, if you’re into storytelling, you really should read Joseph Campbell. He connects everything—religion, movies, life.”
Later that week, I spotted an old copy of the book at a secondhand shop. The cover was faded, but something about it made me pick it up. I started reading that night—and just kept going.
Right away, it felt different. This wasn’t a textbook or a lecture. It was more like a deep, thoughtful conversation. Campbell and Moyers talk about myths in a way that made them feel incredibly alive. I started seeing patterns in stories I already knew—movies, books, even my own life. The “hero’s journey” wasn’t just something in Star Wars—it was a lens to understand the ups and downs I’d been through myself.
After the Book:
After finishing the book, I couldn’t unsee what I’d learned. Everywhere I looked, I noticed symbols and patterns that I’d never paid attention to before. Even in work—especially in branding—I started approaching things differently. Instead of just focusing on features and benefits, I started thinking in terms of narrative: What’s the story here? Who’s the hero? What’s the transformation?
And on a personal level, I began to understand myself better. I realized I’d gone through several “hero’s journeys” already—starting my business, facing burnout, even rediscovering my creative side. It wasn’t always easy, but suddenly it all made more sense.
Even my relationship with my culture changed. I used to brush off Bengali folklore and rituals as outdated, but now I looked at them differently. I saw the emotional truth behind those stories, and how they connect generations. That shift helped me feel more rooted in where I come from.
The Transformation:
I think the biggest change was that I stopped needing to have everything figured out. Campbell talks about embracing the mystery of life, and that really stuck with me. I became more okay with not knowing. More patient. I stopped trying to rush toward some perfect version of success and started focusing on living meaningfully.
Even small things started to shift. I began journaling again. I reconnected with people in a more honest way. I gave myself permission to be both logical and emotional—something I used to feel conflicted about.
My Favorite Line & How It Helps Me Every Day:
“Follow your bliss.”
When I first read that, I thought it sounded kind of fluffy. But the more I sat with it, the more powerful it became. It doesn’t mean “do what feels good all the time”—it means listen to the part of you that feels most alive, even if it’s hard or scary or unconventional.
Now, when I’m at a crossroads, I come back to that line. Does this feel like my bliss? Not in a selfish way, but in a soul-level, “this is who I really am” kind of way. It helps me make decisions that feel right, even if they don’t always make sense on paper.
To Anyone Considering This Book:
If you’ve ever felt lost or disconnected or just unsure about what it all means, “The Power of Myth” is worth your time. It’s not about memorizing old stories—it’s about seeing your own life more clearly.
It doesn’t give you all the answers, and that’s the beauty of it. It teaches you how to ask better questions. How to see the journey you’re on and understand that you’re not alone—that people across all cultures and centuries have wrestled with the same things.
This isn’t just a book. It’s a conversation, a mirror, a flashlight in the dark.
And if you’re like I was—too practical for “myths”—this might be exactly the book you didn’t know you needed.