Do you have a role model? Someone you admire and want to be like?

Last week I went to a job interview for a position of an Educational coordinator at one firm, the longest one in my life. It lasted more than an hour and I am generally satisfied with how it went. I did not choke and was communicating just fine. There were some fears since it was in English but we will see if my vocabulary was good enough when I hear from them. From all of the questions they asked, there was only one I did not know how to answer, the one about a role model.

The interview was going just fine while I was talking about the usual stuff they wanted me to talk about. I was asked what my flaws and strenghts were, my previous employment, education, where do I see myself, why did I apply, what does my ideal workplace look like, what would I never do, what I last learned, what do I regret... The same stuff they ask you at every job interview. This was the first time someone asked me about a role model and I realized that I do not have one.

I answered that I honestly do not know and that I find that to be the hardest question. I explained that it would be easy to just pick some celebrity from the history or modern-day age, maybe even go with some family member but it would be a false answer. In that short time I had to pick one, I could not do it because there were too many factors to consider. The woman smiled and said it is ok if I did not have an answer to that one. I hope she was honest and that this will not cost me that job...

I could have said Tesla, Einteinsten, Gandhi, Salvador Dali, Michelangelo and I would have been wrong. All of them (and many more) have some traits that I admire but I could never pick one favorite person because that would mean that I think that person is perfect and I believe perfection is impossible. How would I even decide what things are more valuable than others? Among so many artists, scientists, revolutionaries, and visionaries, how does a person choose only one? A task I could never do. Sure, we can talk about how it is important to follow your dreams, be happy and oh what joy if that includes leaving something behind and benefiting humanity. I do not see myself as a person with enough credibility to be the judge of whose legacy is the biggest. Why would I be anyway? Is having a role model that important? Isn't it better to have some values and actions as planned goals to be acchieved? Why compare yourself to anyone?

It was always crazy to me to want to be somebody else, why not just be yourself? Even in my lowest moments, I knew I had to be myself, whatever that meant. I could look up to some action that another being has done, I may admire some thought process or an emotional response but not the entire person. That person I could like, really like or even love but not admire. I do not admire anyone. I admire what they do or not do but not who they are because if I would admire people, I would admire them all.

To achieve greatness you should always compare yourself but only to yourself from the past. Are you better today than you were yesterday? Are you more kind, happier, healthier, more loving? Are you smarter, wiser, more resourceful? Did you learn anything new in the last 24 hours? Others can inspire you but do not let them lead you. Lead yourself. You have all that it takes. You have a brain, use it. You have emotions, feel them.

You are a magnificent being that can achieve great things. All you have to do is grow into them. You need to evolve a little bit with each passing day and reflect on what you were with asking yourself are you still that old person or did you change and if you did, was it for the better? Your motivation for progress should be present whenever you look in the mirror. Always be proud of yourself but never be satisfied. You can always be better. You can always achieve more. You can learn a lot from others but that does not mean you have to admire them.

Until next time,
KEEP YOUR SMILE ON!

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