What is the measure of a man?

"What is the measure of a man? Is it the fruits of this labor or the secrets of his heart?"-Yinsin from the movie "Iron Man"


And so the man said to me as he parted:"Thank you, you've saved me." He bowed to me and I bowed back.

If someone is saved by our actions are we considered heroes? What is the definition of a hero anyway?
The literal meaning of the word is Protector, Guardian or Defender. If we look at it from that point of view, then in protecting someone's life we are made heroes.
There is the saying too, that a hero is someone who dares to do something that others wouldn't do in the same situtation. But just because I decide that I'd pee on the sidewalk in front of a police officer doesn't mean that makes me a hero does it?
Or is a hero an ordinary person forced to do extraordinary acts because of extraodinary situations?

But what if we did nothing but ended up saving someone? Are we still considered heroes then? We still saved a life but does it still count? Does being a hero mean we have to expand large amounts of energy before we earn our title?