“ROLE MODEL!”DO I
NEED ONE?
Proverbs
6:6: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
According to Wikipedia, ‘A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people’. The term "role model" is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who coined the phrase during his career.
Role model, do I need one? This is a question that should be answered at the end of this article.
Walking through life, most
of us tend to forget how we began our lives because we get busier with each
passing day. We forget we started life as imitators: from birth, to the day we
stood, walked and spoke our first word, it was because we saw our parents
stand, walk and talk, we loved it and wanted to be like them. Do you agree with
me that we later became perfect imitators of our parents?
As a youth, I want you to know that your success in life depends wholly on you: your choice, your level of diligence, your association, your mind-set, your intelligence, your obedience and your ‘every-thing’, permit me to use that phrase. Even if your parent(s) are the greatest lawyers on earth or the impeccable Judge, you can decide to be an adamant and persistent law-breaker. Nowadays, we see children turn away from what their parents wanted of them to what they want of themselves. For instance, the parents might want their first child to become a medical doctor but that child personally wants to be a musician. In a nut shell, you are the pilot of your destiny. You control your success. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote, “We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives.”
Consequently, as the real mastermind of your destiny, you have that innate-desire to become great. You look into your surrounding and discovered one person that really resembles/possesses your innate-desire, and you think, how did this person ever arrive at my goal? Let’s diverge a little. We all know there are different routes to several destinations. For instance, the route from Lagos to Abuja is different from that of Kano to Abuja. Although they ended up in Abuja doesn’t mean they followed the same route to Abuja. Do you know why? It was because they had different starting point. In other words, your present point in life will determine who you need to follow. Furthermore, if you reside in Lagos, following someone who had the experience of going to Abuja from Lagos will be better than following someone who had the experience of going to Abuja from Kano. Because he understands your intended route better and you both have something in common, ‘similar beginning’.
As I told you earlier, we
started life through blind imitating. We just can’t stop imitating. But this
time, we need to choose who to imitate as we possess the power of choice. This
is the essence of a Role Model. But Role models are only of limited use if you
refuse the decision to learn in humility. For no-one is as important,
potentially powerful and as key in your life and world as you.
To me I think a Good Role Model is a person who tells, or influences you to make the right choice in life through his ways, behaviour, and examples. Also I think a good role model should encourage you to believe you can get to where he is.
“Sourcing
of good role models might be a difficult task but with guidance from older ones
like your parents, you can get the best role model. Generically, as you grow
older, your role model ought to change because as your age increases, your
level of thinking increases also, your mind-set enlarges and your dreams expand.
Good role models must be more experienced and must have had the life that you
wish for. It is not a must that your role model must be alive. For example,
taking role models from the Bible, from history or taking living role models
such as your parents, uncles etc. You need to find someone who has a life that
you want and figure out how they got it. Read books, pick your role models
wisely. Find out what they did and do it.”
Tom Walsh said
“Unfortunately, we don't have all that many good examples to follow. The people that our cultures label as "successful" are the ones who have become wealthy or famous or celebrities, but the truly successful people--those who have become happy and who are living happy, loving, giving lives--aren't often featured in our newspapers or newscasts. We see the politicians and the criminals and the athletes and the entertainment "stars," but we don't see the people who can truly inspire us to be happy by being just who we are.”
As I said previously, you are the mastermind of your destiny. Even if you have the best role of models like Jesus, and you do not make up your mind to listen to what he said, follow his paths and become a perfect imitator of him, it is the same as not having a role model. A role model can only place value in your life when you choose to obey and follow him. According to Tyron Edwards, “People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves.
Parents
can also be role models or choose role models for the child but they often neglect
the task because they get so caught up in making a living that they forget to
make a life. But being a role model is the most powerful form of educating
one’s child. Charles Barkley said,
“I don't believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents
should be role models....
Ability of a role model to
influence strongly the future of a child is inevitable. From the character of
the child to the career of the child to even the health of the child. Other
aspects are affected indirectly. Studies shows that Role models show
significant effects on female students' self-confidence in pursuing careers in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields. The gender difference between role models
and female students has shown to have no significant effect on student
attitudes, whereas perceived dissimilarity with stereotypical role models showed
a negative effect on self-confidence in pursuing STEM careers. Perceived
similarity with non-stereotypical role models (of either gender) shows a
positive effect on self-confidence to succeed in STEM occupations.
Summary
In your search for a good role model,
you should ensure that s/he possesses the qualities you dream of, influences
you to make right decisions, encourages you to believe in yourself, helps you
get to where he is, stands by you throughout the learning period and finally
s/he is a teacher that makes you a better person
To be like your role
model, you must be an active listener, humble, obedient and be a consistent
follower. We ought to make a firm decision as to who our role models should be
because whether we choose it or not, we all have indirect role models that are
either influencing us negatively or positively or both.
Again, this is what
God’s word has to say “Go to the ant, thou
sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”—Proverbs 6:6
…Finally, Dear Reader, do you need a role
model?
Famous quote on Role models
“Children have never been very good at
listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” ― James Baldwin
Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, we are reminded today that family is the most important. And we are called to recognize and honour how critical every father is to that foundation. They are teachers and coaches. They are mentors and role models. They are examples of success and the men who constantly push us toward it. But if we are honest with ourselves, we'll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing – missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it. -- Barack Obama
Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don't know how far we can go.-Malamud
The best teachers of humanity are the lives of great men. - Charles H. Fowler
Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. - Albert S.
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