How To Become Your Own Kick-Ass Role Model

Throughout life, we may come across people who become figures of our admiration.

For some, it might be a musician or actor. For others, it could be someone in politics or a person from history. We notice when someone of status has accomplished something similar to what we would like to achieve ourselves. We have a tendency to place that person on a pedestal and attempt to model our lives after them.

It’s understandable why we look up to people we want to emulate. Those we idolize have helped us become who we are today. While it’s nice to have someone to hold in respect, it’s important to be able to admire yourself as well. If you lean too heavily on someone else, you could easily lose sight of who you are.

Let others inspire you, but work to become your own hero. There’s a tremendous power in being able to look within yourself for strength and motivation. Instead of only looking for someone else, you can become the one you’ve seen searching for – the one you respect and admire. Be the type of person you needed when you were younger.

Make yourself proud.

Blow your own damn mind.

To thine own self, be true.

Have the audacity to live a life that is true to yourself, not the life anyone else expects of you. You don’t have to be something you’re not just to please someone else – forget that. You get to decide what kind of person you want to become. Others will respect who you are when you are your true, unapologetic self.

Trust in yourself.

Know that whatever you want to accomplish, you can with enough drive and dedication. Set challenging but attainable goals. Keep a list of your accomplishments to stay on track. Believe in yourself so fiercely that the rest of the world can’t resist believing in you too. Never say, “I can’t.” You can and you will.

Defend your convictions.

Think about what issues affect you or which matters you get fired up about most. Find ways to advocate your cause and get your message out there. Don’t be afraid to take a stand, even if it means standing alone. Have your own belief system and live by it every day. Make it who you are.

Determine your mission.

Think about your aspirations and use them to develop a purpose. When you leave this world, what do you want to have accomplished? Have a mission that makes you want to jump out of bed every morning. Ask yourself what you are going to do today that will get you closer to where you want to be.

Set all your short term and long term goals. Then demolish them.

Pursue your passion.

Find something that ignites that flame inside of you and follow its lead. Passion is fire. Passion is energy. Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night. The things that excite you are not accidental. They are tied to your life’s meaning. Live it.

Check your attitude.

You are in charge of your attitude and your happiness. Life isn’t about what happens to you, it’s about how you react to it. Get rid of the victim mentality. Learn to appreciate the good in your life. Your reactions affect your outcomes and your relationships with those around you, so cultivate a healthy outlook on life.

Thou shall take no shit.

Never reward bad behavior in others. Listen to your gut when it’s telling you that someone isn’t treating you as they should. It doesn’t matter who it is – a boss, a relative, a friend, a spouse, anyone. You don’t have to put up with their crap. You can either call them out on it and stand up for yourself or you can remove yourself (or them) from the situation. Anyone who knows their value knows when it’s time to get rid of the nonsense.

Never stop learning.

Avoid getting into a know-it-all mindset. You are never done learning about yourself or about life. Try to look at everything you go through, big or small, as if it’s an opportunity to gain wisdom and grow as a person. Study things that fascinate you. There is an entire world out there and there is always something new to discover.

Dare yourself.

Become your biggest competitor. Challenge yourself with something you thought you could never do. It can be anything – writing that book, running a 5K, giving a speech or singing in front of a large crowd. You might find yourself surprised as to what you can do. You need to challenge yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.

Power through setbacks.

Whatever you do, don’t let bumps in the road stop you from reaching the end. At times it may seem that everything is working against you, but that’s all the more reason to hustle through. Obstacles along your way are likely as is with most things worth doing in life. Allow your setbacks to serve as a platform for your comeback. Defeating your deterrents is key for a great success story. When times get tough, get tougher and stay resilient.

“The energy you’ll expend focusing on someone else’s life is better spent working on your own. Just be your own idol.” – Sophia Amoruso

At the end of the day, any worthy role model who has your best interests at heart will influence you to become your own.