The Influence of Idols/Heroes/Examples

[kljsadfhklj]

Hi, everyone.

I'd like to ask for your help on the following subject: To what extent does the actions of someone you consider a hero (an idol, an example, etc) influence your own actions?

We all have people who inspire and motivate us. My question is specifically about how much of that inspiration becomes real work, real world physical action. Has anyone of you read any studies on the subject? Got any sources, links or statistics?

I know many of us have Steve as an example for ourselves, so I know you guys know what I'm talking about

Thanks in advance,
Allan.

[Xanafax]

My overall hero would be someone like Richard Rahl from the Sword Of Truth series of Books by terry Goodkind, Richard is the archetypal man and I would say 50% of personality is modelled off of his basic principles.

[mindfulconstruct]

I don't have "heroes," and I try not to pedestal people I admire.

Because as time goes on and I get to know them better, I start to see their limitations and parts of them that are not in alignment with my own truth. And this can lead to resentment, or crushed (false) hopes of steady guidance from them.

So the way I go about it is to clearly define what it is that I look to others for as a role model.

One person might model perseverance to me, where as I don't necessarily respect how they handle their relationships. Another person person might model business success, but I wouldn't look to them for advice on personal development.

To me, this is more realistic, and it allows me to connect with them more honestly. And it allows me to experience more gratitude for their role modeling.

[magi13]

My dad and grandfather,

I've always looked up to them, at the same time I've already accepted their humanity. They are good examples with excellent performance.They've achieve happiness and continue to gain power. I'd like to be like them someday, I myself is still gathering my power as well.

-M.

[kljsadfhklj]

Xanafax, mindfulconstruct, magi13: Thanks for your replies.

I guess I didn't make myself clear back there. To what extent does the actions of someone you consider a hero influence your own actions?

Not really who your hero is or how much you deify or not the one you admire. Just what the correlation is between what the one you admire does and what you do. Did you buy a suit because James Bond looks good on one? Did you stop eating meat because someone famous did? You now exercise because your friend you admire told you it's doing lot's of good for him? You decided to quit seeing colors because you want to be as rich as Steve?

I know there's a lot of personal decision in it. But there's also the influence of the ones you consider important. Thus, my question, to what extent does the actions of someone you consider a hero influence your own actions?

[SimonaRich]

I would never put anyone higher than who I am because every person is equal. We are all the same, just some people are still asleep and they do not realise how great they are.

When you consider someone to be higher than you, you automatically lower yourself and your confidence diminishes. This harms you and others sense that. Therefore you become perceived as someone not so great.

[jtracy]

I think you always have a choice. If somebody you really admire is vegetarian, for example, it is up to you to decide whether you really want to do that yourself (whether doing that will lead to you being more in line with what you admire in them). Many people say that if you want to be as successsful as your hero, you should just go and do everything just as he does. I'm not so sure that is a good idea because it ignores your own strengths and weaknesses. So to answer the question "To what extent does the actions of someone you consider a hero influence your own actions?", what extent they influence your actions is entirely up to you.

I personally don't have any heroes. I realize that everyone has their faults. Nobody is better than anyone else; it is just that we each have our own unique strengths and talents, and each of us is more attracted to certain (probably complementary) talents and strengths than others in the people we meet. So I admire one quality in one person and another quality in another. There isn't anyone I would choose to be exactly like

[Eric Roosevelt]

Originally Posted by SimonaRich

I would never put anyone higher than who I am because every person is equal. We are all the same, just some people are still asleep and they do not realise how great they are.

That's a nice idea, but I disagree with it. Even if everyone was achieving their potential, there would still be differences between us. Most people have an "edge" in a certain area, and some people have more than just an edge.

In fact, I'd go so far as saying that calling everyone equal is offensive to gifted people. They deserve to be acknowledged, and we deserve to learn from them. The danger is when people believe someone to be infallible. I wouldn't recommend idolizing anyone or pretending like they have the answer to everything.

[Valakiel]

I do have "heroes" that I admire. Some are of fiction and others are real but what I really admire are specific qualities in all of them. This doesn't mean that I workship them or have a secret altar in my closet (well maybe ;D) but I feel more motivated to take actions when I think about them.
I consider that this happens more in a way that these heroes, in their way of being or in their actions, have something that resonates with me deeply and when I think about it, it gives more courage to act following my own truth.