The 'journey of a hero' and sustainable development

In this paper, we propose a sustainable lifestyle process for individuals as economic agents that will lead to sustainable economic growth. A lack of fit between individuals and their environment influences them to distinguish between human and non-human elements of the planet. We therefore propose that a distinction between economic agents and planetary boundaries delays the process of achieving sustainable goals. Based on the academic literature and extensive experience of the authors, in this paper we develop a three-stage 'Journey of a Hero' model that when applied will reduce the resistance to change by the individual, support businesses of any size and enable policymakers to achieve goals for sustainability for their countries in the near future. The findings of the study will contribute to the academic literature related to training, sustainability, psychology, wellbeing and corporate finance.