When I have gone to workshops and seminars I often hear people ask the same question: “Who do you wish you could be like or inspire to be like?” While I am interested in the concept of being like someone as a way to strive for betterment, I think this question is often misrepresented or misunderstood.
Some people think they have to try to be like such n such and this is the wrong way to think about personal growth and development.
I have spoken to people who continue to compare themselves to other people they wished they could be like and fail in one very important thing, to be like themselves.
Be the best 100% of You
Business people more often than not compare themselves to successful leaders of industry and they strive to emulate them and be more like they are. I myself have done this over the years and it has almost always not gone the way I wanted to. One experience was that I wanted to be like Richard Branson when I was younger. I admired his determination and passion and tried to do many things that he did. I even started a student magazine, which I later sold to another publisher.
It is more often than not that I now find myself looking back on those times and realize I was trying to be a version of Richard Branson instead of being a great version of me.
Today you see so many coaches, advisers, and consultants who all look similar in their marketing, their approaches, and their content. There are very few that stand out as unique and individual. In fact, much of what is taught these days in Business growth workshops is the same old content I heard when I first started on my journey, except now it is pushed far more through social media and paid advertising as “Amazing”, “Unique”, or “extraordinary”. I can tell you almost none of it is any of this.
I have had people try to tell me I am doing it wrong or need to improve, and I tend to agree in some areas that I do., but here’s the thing. I like me, and while may not be making 5 or 6 figures a month, I’m ok with that. It will happen one day but I am not prepared to lose my identity, my persona, my me, in order to achieve it.
My advice is this:
Do not try to be like someone else. For all your effort, you will only ever be the second-best version.
Be the best 100% of You.