Alberto Alonso Inope La Rosa

After reading Daniel Laya’s “Inspirable”, I was moved to write a small fragment of my personal story. In the book, Daniel Laya frames his personal narrative according to the hero’s journey structure of Joseph Campbell. The hero’s journey is divided into three sections: [1] the departure act, [2] the initiation act, and [3] the return act. Usually, the hero starts his journey by receiving a calling, which sparks a training arc. After the training phase, the hero returns triumphantly to his home.

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I believe my departure act started during the pandemic, when I was still a high school student, unsure about my professional passion. Pandemic days were challenging, but being shackled to my room allowed for moments of reflection. Those moments of reflection helped me to discover myself, with my strengths and flaws. As I reflected, I noticed how my eyes lit up in the class discussions of economics class. I liked to debate, defend to the point, and turn the chessboard towards my arguments. A moment of silence was all I needed to uncover my attraction to economics.

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That small “eureka” moment was my hero’s call, prompting me into action. I started buying economics books such as “The Wealth of Nations” and “The Mystery of Capital.” Although I did not fully understand the intricacies of these textbooks, I thought of them as part of my training. As my determination solidified, I knew I wanted to study economics at a bachelor’s level. That is when my second hero’s call came, when my mother encouraged me to study economics abroad. I had scarcely travelled outside the country during my childhood, so the idea of moving abroad was truly foreign to me. My mother gave me that last push to shift my life 180° and start anew in Spain.

Coming to Spain was without a doubt the grand opening of my initiation act. I ventured outside of my comfort zone and started anew at IE University. The best way to describe my university life is with my voracious curiosity. I loved involving myself in different activities, as unconventional as they may be. I joined a student-run endowment fund, a student-led consulting organization, an academic writing club, a mentoring society, a real estate firm for student accommodation, and participated in different IE Projects. Although I have faced burnout situations multiple times, I have to admit that I enjoyed pushing myself to the limit. The wonder of meeting new people and developing interesting skills keeps me going.

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And that is where I find myself at the moment. A brewing initiation act where curiosity dominates, and the hero actively seeks for the next problem to solve. In the words of Daniel Laya, I would say that I am currently in an inspirable phase. I look forward to learning, knowing that there is a vast ocean of knowledge lying around on campus. As I look into the future, I wish to remain permeable to the positive behavior of all who surround me and grow as a budding hero.