An idol is an individual or an item that is respected, adored, or held in high regard by another person; sometimes idols are even considered to be a subject or an object of worship. Because of the strong connection between the word idol and the image of primitive people praying at the feet of a golden statue, I have never liked the concept of having an idol. Also, to idolize someone or something is to place them on a pedestal which creates a schism between yourself and that object or individual, and that feels as though you are saying that you can never amount to the grandiosity of that idolized person or thing no matter how hard you try. This goes against everything I strive to be in everything I do; no matter what it is, I am always trying to better, and my end goal in all my endeavors is to one day be the best. If I allow myself to fixate on an idol, it just gets in the way

Because of my general inability to exist comfortably in my own skin, I admire people who are always unapologetically themselves. It is so inspiring to watch someone walk in a room and stand firm with who they are and what they value above all else, even when outside influences try to dissuade them or bring them down. Every day of my life at this point is an effort in being myself in a more unapologetic manner, and I love that I am surrounded by people who set that good example to follow.

I Appreciate People Who Are Committed to Keeping Their Shit Together

Even though the members of my generation are starting to get older, certainly old enough to know better if not to carry on in a mature and responsible manner, and yet they are still behaving as though they just graduated from high school yesterday. It has become all the rage to walk through life with all your strings loose and no hope or desire of tying them up in the future. Our society has become permissive of people who delay adulthood and responsibility throughout their lives, and because of this we have an entire world full of people who refuse to be held accountable for the things they say or do.

As a result, I appreciate people who are committed to keeping their shit together. At this point, I am even impressed by people who work to get their shit together in the first place. We are like diamonds in the rough if we pay all our own bills without public assistance and own our own dwellings and possessions without having to mooch off others. Any time I find someone who is firm and proud in displaying that they make the effort to get their ducks in a row, I feel better about the prospects of humankind and I appreciate those people.

I Am Impressed by People Who Challenge Their Own Perceived Limitations on A Regular Basis

It is often said that the biggest thing that holds us back is ourselves; we stand in the way of our own success. Whether we obstruct our own greatness out of fear, or one of a dozen other reasons, it is undeniable that we don’t make it any easier to climb the ladder. Because of our natural tendency to hold back, I find myself drawn to people who challenge their own perceived limitations in a purposeful manner.

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They recognize where their boundary lines have been drawn, and they spend the time to analyze and poke holes in them just in case they happen to find a fountain of strength far deeper than they might have imagined on the other side. It is not easy to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and so when I notice that someone is doing it deliberately, day in and day out, I am reminded of the importance of such an act, and that I should try to do the same whenever the opportunity presents itself.

I Am Motivated by People Who are Fierce in Pursuing Their Dreams

We are so quick to be talked out of the things our hearts want; as soon as a strong voice comes along and brings us down, we are content to abandon our dreams as though they never mattered. In our efforts to see our goals to fruition, we are unaccountably meek and pathetic. Dreams are big and scary, and the work it takes to make those dreams a reality is often even larger and more terrifying. As a result, the people who pursue their dreams with unmatched ferocity are impossible to ignore, and to watch them in action is nothing short of motivational.

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When I see a person take one hard knock after another in pursuit of what they want, a person who is dogged by circumstance and naysayers at every turn, I cannot help but feel the invisible push to dream hard, work harder, and defend my goals from anyone who would wish to dissuade me from them. Without a hearty resolve to pursue their dreams, some of the greatest minds in the world never would have had the chance to influence others, and it is the resolve of those powerful people that propels me to feel as though there is always something more I could be doing to make a difference in my slice of the globe.

I Am in Awe of People Who Master the Duality of Working Smarter and Harder

I am the type of person who will approach a challenge with every intention of trashing it and throwing myself at the wall either until the challenge has been overcome or I am unable to continue. At this point I always manage to overcome the challenge, but with the way I approach it, I usually end up wrecking myself in the process. I recognize there is a smarter way to do things, but I never seem to remember that until I am halfway through doing it the harder way and it is too late to shift gears. As a result, I am so in awe of people who can take the conscious step back to analyze the situation and come up with a smarter way. There is no substitution for hard work, of course, but there is something to be said for working harder as well as smarter to get the job done as well as possible in a way that saves your health and strength, too.

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In many ways I still feel as though I am a child trying to navigate in a world full of people who seem to have it figured out better than I do. The number of times that shit hits the fan and I look around for the responsible adult in charge only to realize that responsible adult is me is both staggering and comical. When I grow up and earn my status as a fully vetted grownup, it is my hope that I will have mastered these traits. I will be myself without apologizing, I will commit to keeping my shit together, I will challenge my own limitations without fear, I will pursue my dreams with more ferocity, and I will try to work smarter as well as harder to preserve my own wellbeing while getting the job done. I don’t idolize the people who have already mastered these things, but I admire and appreciate them, and I am motivated and inspired by them. As with so many other things in my life I am constantly trying to raise the bar for myself to bring about as much individual growth and improvement as possible; when I think of the concept of having an idol, and all the people and their traits I have discussed, all I can think is that I will work harder until my idols become my rivals, and it will be a glorious standoff of wits and preparedness when the time comes.

• Self Improvement

• Idols

• Challenge

• Growth

• Work Smarter