The English dictionary defines a hero as a person who is noted or admired for courage, outstanding achievements, etc. Is this really the meaning that a person should go by? Is a wealthy person who donates large amounts of money a hero? A hero really is: a person who perseveres despite adversity, a person who tries to perform beyond expectations, a person who is level-headed in a crisis and risks himself for the sake of a better society.
             To begin with, let us consider a person who perseveres despite adversity. A great example would be Mahatma Gandhi; it is amazing that a person as old and frail was the leader of one of the largest non-violent war in history. Gandhi was thrown in jail time after time, and what did he do? He refused to yield and was willing to be back in jail. This person persevered despite great adversity because he was loyal to the cause that he was fighting for.
             Furthermore, a heroic person needs to be a person who is levelheaded in adverse situations. What would Martin Luther King Junior done if he was being given a hard time by, say, a racially biased police officer? Would he have tried to reason with him, or take beatings? Since he was level headed he would not have struck back. Being levelheaded is a quality every person needs to have whether they aspire to be a hero or not. If one stays cool in a high-pressure situation, one will be able to reason out to the maximum of their abilities. If noticed closely, many of the most brilliant people have been levelheaded. That also indicates that they are focused.
             Most of all, a heroic person must be willing to sacrifice himself for the better of people close to him and society. This is a characteristic that really distinguishes him or her because there are relatively few people who would be willing to give themselves up. This is pretty much the point at which a person recognizes that worldly things such as wealth do not matter, but the joy of helping does. Th...