The Importance of Positive Role Models

Today I did an interview on WAVS, a Caribbean American radio station in South Florida where I live. They interviewed me because I was awarded the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies 2021 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Business Leadership.

They asked me a surprising question: “If the gala wasn’t virtual, which 5 people, living or dead, throughout all history, would you invite to celebrate with you?”

WOW!

Thankfully I’ve actually had 5 key people, aside from family members, as North Stars:

Michael Lee-Chin

Warren Buffett

Richard Branson

Steve Jobs

Lao Tzu

These 5 people have been integral in the values that I now hold. I also said that I am fortunate to know at least one of them and be able to pick up the phone and call him, Lee-Chin.

No human is perfect and none of these people are perfect but they embody traits that I found to be meaningful to me and to my life plan. My parents instilled in me the importance of good role models. You identify the traits that you see as positive and strive to be as good or better than them.

The role models you pick shape who you become. If you have no role models, find some now. Study them.

You don’t need to know the person, just be able to read about their life, their decision-making framework, their values and their mistakes. Learn what they had to overcome and how they overcame it. Believe that you too can overcome your own challenges yet to come.

Most people are just living day to day with no role models, no recipe, no plan of action to improve their lot in life.

Don’t be like that. Strive to get better little by little each day. Compound Effort pays off over time.

I started 25 years ago at age 15. I was intentional about what I wanted to achieve and the kind of person I wanted to become. It is no different than working towards becoming good at a sport or good at coding or good at a musical instrument.

If you don’t put in the effort, if you don’t practice diligently, if you don’t have a good coach, you will not become one of the best.

Put. In. The. Work.