Do it YOUR way

In the world today, we follow the steps of successful people and take them as models. The person you admire can be a successful entrepreneur or a great athlete. I even found myself following their habits and routines, and it never worked. I saw a little change but nothing extreme, but why?

The answer is simple: look around you. Do you see someone exactly like you? I’m not referring to physical similarity, but rather to emotional and mental experiences. Do you believe that others experience emotions in the same way you do or that they think exactly as you do?

In life, we all go through different experiences and meet people in ways that are unique to us. We are so different from each other, yet we expect that by doing the exact same things someone else does, we can be brought to success. We can still take them as models, but it depends if we want to imitate them or take inspiration from them.

Imitation, in my opinion, is the worst way but also the most common mistake people make. As said before, we are all different from each other, and forcing ourselves to be like someone else is like building a chair following the instructions of a bookshelf: you might have some pieces, but you will never end up with what you want.

Taking inspiration is the least intuitive, yet the most efficient way to become better. Taking inspiration means gaining a sense of direction and knowing where to begin your journey. But the most important thing is that among all these considerations you also consider yourself: your emotions, your thoughts, your goals, and the possibilities you have. If you make a routine where you’re comfortable, but you still need to put yourself out there, then you’ll have a higher probability of becoming successful.

But now let’s distinguish inspiration from motivation. Motivation is the reason behind our actions; in our case, it is the drive to improve and become better at what we do. Inspiration, on the other hand, is where we draw our motivation from. Going back to our previous chair and bookshelf example, we build a chair to sit on, or we build a bookshelf to place our items on. So, another important thing when we take inspiration is asking ourselves one simple question: “Why are we doing this?”

But why make this comparison? These elements are the foundation for creating a routine that works for us. But both inspiration and motivation are emotions, so that means that they can fade away. If you ever started following a new routine but failed, then you need discipline. Discipline is the bridge that stays up even when motivation and inspiration run out; it’s the behavior that emerges whenever we don’t want to do something, despite our hesitation or reluctance. The people we follow and admire may tell us their routine to inspire us, but the most important thing is discipline and showing up when you need to do something. To become comfortable and confident, you must first challenge yourself and face discomfort.

Knowing what we want to become is fundamental to knowing how to create your custom journey. The next time someone you admire shares their routine, don’t copy it exactly. Instead, let it inspire you to create your own routine—one that you can learn from every day. But to keep that routine going, you need to be the one who keeps showing up despite everything. Remember that if you want to be the one to become the model and inspiration for others, you just must do it YOUR way.