A.I. Counselor separates heroes from role models: heroes voluntarily risk their lives in specific moments, while role models teach you how to live in different roles. Find role models for each part of your life, and ask yourself what you'd actually die for.
Hope you're doing well. Today I want to talk to you about why your role models are not your heroes. So today I'm recording this on Memorial Day here in the United States is a day in which we celebrate the lives of those soldiers, airmen, Marines, men and women who have died for our country. And you know, I grew up the son of a Vietnam veteran, Air force pilot, flew B52s in Vietnam. Certainly one of my heroes, not my role model in many areas, but my hero. And the hero is somebody who puts themselves in risk voluntarily for another person. And you know, during this day is a day of reflection on those true heroes. The heroes and role models are two different things. And it's important right now as people are trying to figure out a path forward to identify the their role models. See, heroes are people who put themselves voluntarily at risk. But it's hard to model yourself after heroes because they take on this mythological status in our world in a very finite or very specific area, for example in fighting in war. So it's hard to model that in your day to day life when you're not fighting a war. But it certainly is a reminder to all of us. It reminds me of this quote from Martin Luther King that a man hasn't discovered something he will die for. He isn't fit to live. That's a Martin Luther King Jr. Quote that I oftentimes think through as I'm drifting through some kind of mundane day to day task that doesn't seem to have real meaning. To try to push myself forward towards something that really matters and identifying that. I try to think of role models or different roles that I have in life. So somebody that you model for one role that you have in life is not somebody that you model model for other roles. We have many different roles, right? Father, business owner, son, husband, all these things are different roles. And somebody who is your role model as a husband may not be the best role model when it comes to business practices. Same thing with your business practices. Somebody who's really, really good at a business, at running a business may not be the best role model when it comes to your relationship life. They may be on their ninth marriage and they may not be the role model for that specific role. So identifying your areas or your roles of your life and then figuring out who is the model for that specific role is how I try to approach improving myself in different areas. So right now, as you think through your heroes, don't forget about your role models. What are your roles? Who are going to be the models that you want to identify as examples to live by in that specific area. But always keeping in mind that we have true, true heroes amongst us. And during these days, when there's uncertainty, it's good to think back on the strength and character that these people had to voluntarily step forward for the safety and security of all of us. And how can you do that today? How can you identify something that you would die for, that you would die for, so that you live a life of example for other people? Something to think about. Challenge for yourself. Challenge for myself. As we step forward today on Memorial Day, go out there every single day. Don't forget the difference between your heroes and your role models and seize your legacy.
