They say “work until your idols become your rivals,” however are we choosing the right idols to strive towards? Are we placing the Olympic gold medalists, billionaire authors and tech giants of the world in our career crosshairs, or choosing a much more humble pathway?
Our idols should stand at the top of their field as an exemplar of hard work and dedication. They should challenge us, motivate us, and inspire us to work towards success. However, many of us choose those we know as our heroes. In fact, over 75% of HSC CoWorks students cite their parents as their idols, and of the remaining 25%, most choose school teachers over highly successful entrepreneurs. Whilst these choices are admirable (and entirely valid), we should also choose a few industry leaders, who’s paths we can follow to realise our dreams. CHOOSING A ROLE MODEL
Look outside the realms of family and friends, and instead look to those at the very top of your desired field of work. That’s not to say that you can’t admire your family and their work, but unless they hold your dream job, you should also find someone more relevant to your career aspirations.
If you have a dream of swimming professionally, the likes of Michael Phelps and fellow Olympic champions should stand at the top of your list of heroes. If a career in the technology sector is more to your liking, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates would be the greatest role models you could wish for. Whatever your desired industry, the options are endless for choosing a hero.
If you have a dream of swimming professionally, the likes of Michael Phelps and fellow Olympic champions should stand at the top of your list of heroes. If a career in the technology sector is more to your liking, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates would be the greatest role models you could wish for. Whatever your desired industry, the options are endless for choosing a hero.
FOLLOWING THEIR FOOTSTEPS
Once your heroes are clear in your mind, work towards their success. Study their journey, habits, and work. Through this, you may find a Student Key Behaviour that will guide you on your path.
Take the writing path for example — Stephen King has published almost 100 books, sold more that 350 million copies of his work, and has had many of these adapted into movies and TV shows. Forbes sets his income at around $40 million per year, so as an aspiring writer, you’d be crazy not to view him as a hero.
King has a very famous habit that ties in with his success — he is committed to writing 2,000 words a day, every single day, and “only under dire circumstances do I allow myself to shut down before I get my 2,000 words,” he said. Through this method, he finishes a 180,000 word novel in 3 months — impressive!
REINFORCING YOUR VISIONS
Daily reinforcement is key when it comes to motivation and determination, and one of the best ways to instill this is through the creation and display of a vision board. Print pictures of your heroes at the pinnacle of their success, and gather and display their quotes and advice. You could also feature their works, as well as their habits, their awards and their achievements — whatever will motivate you best.
Then, work with those successes in mind, with the mentality of rising to their level.
You know it’s possible, because they have shown GRIT, and done it before you.
