In which direction should I move? What to do when I get stuck? How to choose a career and become successful in it? All these questions are overwhelming and we can not handle them alone. In all these questions, role models can be of great help to us. They inspire us and help us grow and become a better version of ourselves.
Who is your role model?
They are all people who inspire us. We have many role models throughout our lives – from our parents and teachers to our friends, coaches, colleagues or people we don’t know in real life but who are successful in the field we are interested in.
Positive role models are crucial for people of all ages and at every stage of life. They are the guides that help us understand who we want to be in the future and how we can achieve our goals. They possess qualities we want to acquire, maybe a job we want to have, or generally the life we want to live.
Can role models change your world?
Role models play a crucial role in shaping our life and career. And in professional life, they are especially important for under-represented groups who may feel even less confident and isolated (e.g., women in STEM). The lack of role models is one of the biggest obstacles people face in their careers.
Research shows that “the power of role models can be harnessed to increase role aspirants’ motivation, reinforce their existing goals, and facilitate their adoption of new goals”.
They can accompany us throughout our careers and help us make good decisions. When we see their path with similar obstacles and struggles – it helps us to go through it.
Advantages of role models
- You understand what “success” means to you
“Success” – it’s a subjective term, so it’s important that you know what it means to you. Your interpretation of the term will certainly differ from that of other people. When we have a role model, we see what they have achieved, and that can help us find our own measure of success. - You learn how to overcome challenges
A career path can’t just be a straight road with no obstacles, where everything is clear, fast and easy. Bill Gates’ first start-up was a complete disaster and failed, Steve Jobs was fired by Apple’s board of directors and Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first job at the TV. Everyone makes mistakes and fails sometimes. But that doesn’t stop you from succeeding in the future. Quite the opposite – all those mistakes help you grow. When you look at the obstacles and challenges of your role models, you gain the strength to overcome your own. - They inspire you
Sometimes we lack the motivation to do something, or we are just too afraid to start. Role models can inspire us with their stories and strengthen our faith in ourselves. This helps us to move forward. - It helps you to grow
Maybe you can’t be the exact second version of your role model, but you will certainly be a better version of yourself. And this is the most important point. You can learn from the decisions, qualities and actions of others, it can help you to improve your skills, and become someone else’s role model.
The role model in you
Great role models are people who inspire us, encourage us to make the world better, and help us to be better. It could be any person – from your good friend or a successful entrepreneur who you are following on Twitter or even you. They guide us throughout our careers and show us a good example of how to deal with some issues or just how to behave in some situations. They lead us by their example and their actions, not just by telling us what we should or shouldn’t do.
You can find people who inspire, with the same goals and values and they could be your role models. Check out our role models, to find your role model in tech or become one yourself and send us an email.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash