5 Life Lessons to Learn from Greek Mythology

If you forgot everything you learned back in your earlier school days about Greek mythology, don’t worry; we’re not going to quiz you. But we will tell you that a lot of what you learned about in about the Greek gods and goddesses can actually be applied to real life today. That’s right, if you really think about the characters, the consequences, the priorities, the values and the experiences that take place in those mythological tales, you can apply a lot of the lessons learned to you own life.

And aren’t we all looking for as much help as possible to make sure we become the best version of ourselves and we live our lives to the fullest? Every story had a meaning, had a lesson and had an important point to make. They weren’t just fantastical stories, and while they were often dramatic, violent, and pretty crazy, they weren’t trying to make money like today’s blockbuster films or TV programs.

Mythology was important to people

According to the History Channel, “in ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters were an important part of everyday life. They explained everything from religious rituals to the weather, and they gave meaning to the world people saw around them.” And today, those same stories can tell us a lot about our current lives.

They can help remind us about what is important. They can warn us against behavior that could sabotage our own happiness or safety. And they can help us teach our children about what really matters in life. Here are 5 life lessons we can learn (and pass on to future generations) from Greek mythology.

1. Control Your Anger – the Story of Hercules

Everyone knows the name Hercules, and most of us know that he was a strong warrior who was almost unbeatable thanks to his courage and power. And while he was honored and celebrated in mythology and Greek history, it’s also important to know that Hercules had a real mean streak. He was violent, had trouble controlling his rage—which made him great in battle—and he was easily manipulated by Hera, his arch nemesis. Hera somehow caused Hercules to enter a state of intense rage and violent anger, during which he murdered his family.

And as punishment for that act, he endured 12 years of penance known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules. Bottom line: don’t be influenced by others and control your emotions, your anger and your strength or else you will spend the rest of your life paying for your sins. While hopefully we never feel quite as enraged and mad as Hercules once felt, we’ve all had moments of frustration and anger, and it’s important to remember to harness those negative emotions so that you can make sound, positive decisions, even in the face of some serious anger.

2. Listen to Your Elders – the Story of Icarus and Daedalus

If you have children then you’ll really want to discuss this tale with your offspring. The story of Icarus and his father Daedalus, who warned him not to fly too close to the sun, but he didn’t listen much to his detriment. The short version is that Icarus and Daedalus were stuck in a labyrinth, and in order to escape Daedalus built his son wings to help him fly to safety. But he warned him not to fly too high, or he will fall.

Sure enough, Icarus didn’t listen due to his over-eager attitude and excitement about flying, and as he got closer to the sun his wings melted and he fell to his death. Again, you night never be in this exact situation, but the life lesson of listening to your elders and being respectful of their wisdom holds true today. Trust that your parents, grandparents and older generations know what they are talking about, and heed their advice.

3. Stick with Your Family – the Story of Artemis

Legend has it that Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, and her brother Apollo went to great lengths to defend their family’s honor. A mortal woman, Niobe, was heard bragging about how she had given birth to more children, and therefore had more honor, than Artemis’ mother, the goddess Leto. Artemis and Apollo would not tolerate someone insulting their mother, so they went to extreme measures (they murdered Niobe’s offspring) to defend their mother’s reputation and make sure that people everywhere would respect their familial honor. While violence is never the answer, the underlying idea of defending your family and sticking by your family members’ side no matter what is an important lesson to teach your loved ones today.

4. Looks Aren’t Everything – the Story of Narcissus

We all know someone who is a total narcissist, and that term actually originates from Greek myths. The story of Narcissus tells the tale of a gorgeous man who fell in love with his own reflection. It was predicted that Narcissus would have a long, wonderful life, as long as he never saw his own reflection. His whole life Narcissus rejected all attempts of others to earn his affections, even causing some of his suitors to commit suicide just to prove their unrequited love.

When the goddess of love got word of this, Narcissus was punished by a love that would never be fulfilled. He fell in love with his own reflection, a love that could never be truly returned, and ultimately he killed himself because he could not bear the agony of unfulfilled love. As with most myths, this story is an extreme version of modern realities, but the lesson is there: be kind to others, be open-minded to love and affection from others, and remember that looks are not everything. Don’t become obsessed with your own looks and focus on what is inside yourself and others, as that’s where true love and fulfillment will come from.

5. We All Have a Weakness – the Story of Achilles

Last but not least, the story of Achilles can teach us a lot about our own strengths and our own weaknesses. The story goes that when Achilles was a child his mother, Thetis, dipped him in the waters of the River Styx, which made him invulnerable. He became a champion warrior throughout his life, serving as one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War. But one part of his body was not invulnerable—his heel, which is where his mother had been holding him as a baby—was susceptible to injury.

Hence the term “Achilles’ heel” that you often hear today. Ultimately Achilles was killed by an arrow that was shot through his heel, which serves as a reminder that we all have our own weaknesses, no matter how strong or put together we may seem. We need to recognize our strengths and our weaknesses, and work to protect and improve ourselves if we want to survive and thrive in life.

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