A role model is a person who serves as an example, whose behavior, example, and success can be imitated by others. It’s someone who inspires you to do your best and achieve your goals – and you can choose anyone for this position, whether it’s your mom or dad, your favorite celebrity, or someone in your community who inspires you.
Good Role Models Provide an Emotional Connection
As a young person, you often feel like you don’t have much influence over the kind of person you’re or the kind of life you lead. You may feel that the decisions made for you – like where you live or what school you go to – limit your options and leave you little room to make your own choices.
Although it may be hard at first, learning how to break out of that box is essential. One way to do this is to find role models who achieved success, inspire you and show you that doing the hard work you need to do to achieve your goals – is possible.
Role models can make us feel like we belong because they remind us that we’re not alone in our problems – they’ve been through similar things and are now doing great things with their lives! They remind us that if they can do it, we can too.
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A good role model is someone who inspires us to be better than we already are, and sometimes positive role models are the only thing that gets us through the day.
Think about it: Whether you’re a teenager or already a successful person, you probably wouldn’t be where you’re today if someone hadn’t told you that you could do it, right? Whether it was your parents, a mentor, or even a stranger on the street, someone probably helped steer your life in one direction or another.
And yet, as adults, we often forget that we still need positive role models. We forget that other people have told us what to do and how to live our lives – and that’s okay! But when we forget that part of ourselves and others, we lack the support to keep going. And when we don’t have that support system, it can be very easy to give up on our goals and dreams.
When You Lack Inspiration, It Can Be Hard to Find New Ideas
Maybe you feel like you’ve already exhausted all the possibilities and that nothing new is coming.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! If you’re open and willing to try new things, you’ll find inspiration everywhere – and it doesn’t even have to be a direct source of inspiration.
You can start by looking for a good role model who inspires you in some way, whether through their work or personality. Your ideal role model doesn’t have to be famous, A positive role model can be someone in your circle (family members, students, teachers) who has the positive qualities you’re looking for and who makes you feel like the world is an exciting place full of possibilities.
If you don’t know anyone who inspires you personally, look at other people’s work instead. Look at every medium: Books and articles, music videos, paintings… whatever captures your imagination! The more exposure you’ve to different types of art, the more likely it’s that something will catch your eye and inspire you to come up with an idea!
You could also try reading about historical figures who made a difference in their field – or just did something significant in their lives – and see if there’s anything they did that makes sense for your current situation.
Role Models Are Symbols of Hope
When everything seems impossible, it’s hard to imagine that there are people out there who love and support you. When you feel overwhelmed and alone, thinking about effective role models can help you remember that you have people in your corner who can give you a second chance at success.
Role models have a positive influence on us. They remind us that we have something to fight for, making it easier to keep going even when things seem hopeless.
We all know effective role models who have gone through difficult times and come out on the other side happy and successful – people like Martin Luther King Jr, John Lennon, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela … the list goes on! You probably know someone who’s been through tough times and still managed to keep going, no matter what. These people inspire us because they don’t give up when things get tough; they keep fighting until they achieve their goals and are stronger than ever!
A great role model isn’t always easy to find in real life; it could be someone who lives far away or who’s different interests than you. But they’re out there! And once you find them? They’ll improve your life by showing you what’s possible when you work hard and stay strong against all odds.
Role models help us build our self-confidence
For students, it’s easy to feel like you need to evolve fast. You want to be independent and make your own decisions, but it can also feel like becoming a successful person means plenty of obstacles. And that’s true! But students need to see that mistakes are normal in their career path, and many people who are still figuring things out have been just as lost as they are.
Role models aren’t just people who’ve done something tremendous or know how to be helpful in certain situations. They’re also people who have made mistakes and show us how to be a better version of ourselves by showing us what we’re capable of.
They Emphasize the Importance of Your Dreams
When you’re trying to reach a goal, it can be hard to keep going. Sometimes you feel like you’re the only person in the world who’s ever had your dream and that no one else will ever understand it.
We all know that there’s no better way to motivate yourself than to look up to someone who’s already achieved the goal you’ve in mind. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or a celebrity, seeing someone who’s achieved what you want can be incredibly inspiring.
When you meet someone who’s done what you want to do – or even something more significant than what you want to do- you realize that someone out there understands exactly what you’re going through and wants to help you succeed. Plus, it feels good to know that other people care about your dreams!
Having a Role Model Can Help You Master Your Life
Role models give you direction. They’re the people who have achieved what you want and have the experience and knowledge to help you along the way; they can help you avoid making a few mistakes because you can learn from them. An effective role model can come from all walks of life, from family members to celebrities, from your mentor at work to someone in your community.
When you choose a role model, they must share similar values as you. Their advice may not be helpful if they don’t share the same values as you.
Your ideal role model can guide you when things get tough and show you the way you feel lost. They’re not always right – sometimes they can be wrong- but knowing that someone else has explored the terrain before you means you don’t have to do it alone.
A version of this article appeared on brilliantio.com, posted on August 1, 2022
EXPERD, Human Resources Consultant, Jakarta – Indonesia