If you grew up without a guiding force/mentor, don’t be too concerned. It’s not a dream killer. There are plenty of people who had to overcome tremendous deficits and move past seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve greatness.
Ray Charles started out in life way behind the power curve. He was born in the Deep South in 1930. He was black, blind, and an orphan. He was definitely not voted “most likely to succeed” in his high school annual or offered a scholarship to Harvard. But he had an extraordinary musical gift and was determined to succeed. His idol was Nat King Cole. Ray began to model himself after the great singer-musician while at the same time developing his own unique style that eventually catapulted him into incredible success that brought him fame and fortune. Ray Charles became an internationally recognized musical icon. But early on he allowed himself to mirror someone else’s success, and it served him well.
Power of WHO Tips
- Mirroring is a very effective tool for aspiring dream seekers. It’s basically imitating, copying, or mimicking someone who is already wildly successful at the same thing you aspire to.
- You’ve actually been mirroring since you were a kid. You watched and copied your mom and dad, your big sister, brother, coach, teacher—how they walked, talked, acted, and played, as well as what they valued. As you grew older, your attention was drawn toward others you admired: actors, athletes, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, etc. Here is one of life’s most powerful principles: We move in the direction of our focus.
- Mirroring starts by hearing about or seeing someone who is already doing what you want to do. When that happens something inside you goes, “Wow, that’s it!” You start thinking to yourself, “I can do that. I’d be good at that. I bet I can do it even better if I practice!” When things like this begin to happen, you need to know you’re looking at a road map, a blueprint, a model of what could be.
- The proof is in your pursuit. It’s called passion. The intensity and dedication of your pursuit are the level of your passion. It takes study and practice to become skilled in the dream you’re pursuing. When you find that job you love and are willing to pay the price to become the absolute best at it, then your own unique style and genius will begin to take over and create a new story line that’s even better than the one you mirrored.
- So, be clear about what you want, and mirror the best!
The Power of WHO! 