Some paths can only take you so far

It's always good to have a role model in your life - someone you can look up to, and possibly try to emulate. For most of us, our role models are the people closest to us. Parents, teachers, siblings... There is a wide variety to choose from. Sometimes I sit down and wonder, who exactly do I idolise? Do I have any role models? Is it necessary to have such a figure in my life?


And I realise - no. I do not have any role models, and I do not necessarily need one.

I have always maintained that my role model, if any, is a projection of my future self. Who I want to be. One can have many role models. You might want to be as diligent a student as your friend, as successful an entrepreneur as your father, as inspirational an educator as your teacher... These different traits of others that you admire, you wish to acquire, and they ultimately piece together to form that idealistic person that you want to be so badly - yourself.

Making yourself your own role model is beneficial in many ways:
1) You are more realistic because you are better able to understand and acknowledge the flaws and limitations that exist, which could hinder your quest for betterment.
2) There will always be room for self-improvement. When you've started the ball rolling on seeing yourself as a cocoon of potential for development, every now and then you start asking yourself, So how can I improve myself even further? Very often, when one's role model is another individual, he may be satisfied with merely reaching the same level as that role model, and not seek to improve himself beyond that.

With everything in place, the best benefit is still that you will not lose sight of yourself. It has always been my fear that I idolise someone so much I get consumed in admiration and illogically aim to be her.

The past two weeks have been very enlightening for me, and I've found myself continually reconstructing and refining my future-me model. Inspiration is everywhere, and I am honoured to catch hold of the right ones. In fact, reflecting upon what I've learnt during my two-week internship is what inspired me to share my thoughts about role models with my readers. I hope it has offered a new perspective as it has to me when I first thought of it.

Do you have a role model?