As we all know, a role model can be a lot of things. It all depends on what you are looking for in a person. Sometimes, we might be lucky and have a single person that will fit the bill, encompassing all that we are looking to achieve as an individual. And other times, we might find ourselves taking different role models for different aspects of our lives.
In the end, it all boils down to knowing what you want and going after it. And one of the most effective ways to do this is to find people who have succeeded in the field you are venturing into. Then follow in their footsteps.
As it is said, there is nothing new under the sun. Currently, there is no height that a person can aspire for that has not been reached by someone in the past. There is no measure of success that has never been breached. However complex it might be, there is someone who has done it before you. And that should tell you that, provided one person has done it before, you too then should be able to.
There are a number of factors that go into picking a role model, and these are factors that have to resonate with you personally. Because if you do not relate with your models on a personal level, it will be hard for you to emulate them.
Your role model cannot be someone that you can’t stand what they do. If you are an artist, and your role model is a gospel musician but you do not listen to their songs, then you are just deceiving yourself. Because once you decide a person is a role model, you will find yourself taking their personal life personally. Wanting to know the things they do on a daily basis and how they are able to translate it all into success.
One thing I have come to realize is that, in this life, you do not have to be famous to be a role model. You can just be living your life, being yourself on a daily and someone that lives close to you will admire you. They might not tell you, but they will like the way you do things and want to pattern their lives to match yours. Hell, they might even be your friends, asking your advice on things and you would be giving them as usual. Not knowing that they are always scrutinizing you and looking to emulate you.
And this is one reminder of why we always need to be on our best behavior. And no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we must always be true to ourselves. Because we do not know who is watching us. People might like something about us, but if they realize that what they liked was not even who we truly were, we would come off as nothing but a fraud.
So now, who are my role models? I actually have a number of them. They are not popular people, just regular people who are trying to make their mark in this crazy world. But their lifestyle and way of doing things have endeared them to my heart.
• My Mother: I guess this should go without saying for me. I honestly do not know what to say that will do justice to all she has done for me and my siblings. But I will tell you that every day I see her, I know the kind of parent I am going to be. She is my motivation and stronghold, and I am always working my ass off so I can make her proud of me. That is my goal.
• My Coach (In Business): His name is Barr. Christopher Iberi, although he is not on the Hive platform. He is the one that really introduced me to the world of business and taught me that when it comes to making money you can only be as limited as your mind allows. Through him, I got to learn and get into Network Marketing, although I had to pause it to focus on my writing career. I also dived into different ventures while I was under his wing. As if that was not enough, I got to travel to different parts of the country while we were working together.
He is a hardworking man that is always ready to do what is necessary to get the bag. And apart from that, he also has ethics that he employs in his life and businesses. He does so many things at the same time, and is still very active in church activities that you have to wonder how the hell this man stays on top of it all. He was the one that made me realize that no height is too small to achieve, as long as you are willing to do what it takes.
• My Coach (In Writing): I happened to meet this man online, through one of his Facebook posts. His name is Mr. Stanley Umezulike. And he is the co-founder of Ife-Adigo Publishing house. I am actually blessed to know him because he is one of the major reasons I have gotten to this height in my writing career. Right before my eyes, he has been able to build a community of writers on Facebook. I was there when he started, and it is always a thing of wonder and joy to see how far he has come.
He has several published works under his name, both fiction and non-fiction, and he is always running one class or the other online. It was under his tutelage that I was able to get my Professional Manuscript Editor and Professional Book Project Consultant certificates. When I see myself in the one to two years, I see myself reaching the level he has attained. And the thing is that the sky is his limit, and he is always fired up and ready to go.
These are my role models, I know them all on a personal level and their DMs are always open to me. But then, I have never told them about this. If by some stroke of luck they stumble on this post, I hope they know how much they have come to mean to me and how far the things they have done to and for me have affected me.
As I said, you can be a role model to someone and you would not even know it. Someone like me will not even tell you that I feel that way about you. I will just keep watching you and feeling the way you are doing things, looking for the parts I can emulate.
So, my dear friends, I have a lot to work towards. Because these people I mentioned have achieved so much but they make it seem so easy. I will get to that point too, where hopefully someone will be writing a post like this about me and how I am inspiring their life. But until then, I will keep doing my thing and being myself. That is the least I can do.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, I would love to know what you are thinking. Till we meet in the next post.
This post is inspired by the third topic for this week which is Role Model. Feel free to try it out.
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