Like any other kid growing up, I had a ton of idols I looked up to as role models. I admired these people for many different reasons, whether it be sports, music, acting, intelligence, or whatever you name it. However, lately, I came across an opinion (on the internet of course) that essentially stated that idolizing “role models” in our heads allows us to overlook any problematic behavior they may have and over-glorify their achievements. The problem with this is that it excuses behavior that quite frankly, shouldn’t be excused. Although this article may be making a point, I think it is important to have a figure you idolize for achievements in your life.
Growing up, and still today, one of my biggest idols ever has been Luka Modrić. When he was little, the Yugoslavian Wars forced him to become a refugee; his house was burned down and the Serbians murdered his grandfather (who was his best friend). While he was growing up, he was consistently deemed too weak by coaches. However, his talent led him to eventually debut in the premier league for the Tottenham Spurs, leading them to the closest the club has ever gotten to winning a trophy. Eventually, he was signed by Real Madrid which was dubbed La Liga’s worst signing in 2012. Despite all of this hardship, Luka Modrić carried Croatia to the World Cup finals in 2018, winning the Golden Ball and Ballon d’Or (which made him the first player besides Messi or Ronaldo to win it since 2007), and accumulating five UCL trophies, three La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey titles.
Witnessing all of this led me to have Luka Modrić as my favorite footballer of all time. I would watch his highlights every time before I played football in high school, and I religiously watched Croatia play in the World Cup, Nations League, and Euros. But it wasn’t just because he was a great football player; it was because I related to him. As an Albanian, what is more inspiring than seeing a Balkan make something out of their life despite the horrible tyranny of Serbia? His story inspired me to keep pushing towards being the greatest despite the odds being against me. The reason why he became my role model is because I see myself in him.
Their lives impacted mine because I saw someone I could relate to make it despite being in some of the worst conditions possible (external and internal). Every time I felt the unfairness known as life, I had someone to look up to who was a living example of what it meant to not give up. I think that’s all that any one of us wants, to make it despite the whole world being against us, telling us we can’t do it.
So, although the danger of idolizing someone too much can lead to not holding them accountable for their mistakes and behavior, I think that the benefit of what having a role model can do for you is so much more important than that. The reason for that is it’s not about your role model. It’s about you. You can take their accomplishments, let them motivate you to achieve, and push yourself beyond your limits. None of these athletes and musicians became big because they thought they were only decent at something. None of them won a Ballon d’Or because they thought they were okay at football, or that it was something they’d do in their free time. They genuinely had to believe they were the best at it if they wanted to reach the level of professionalism and stardom that they had.
That being said, no human is perfect. Everyone has flaws, celebrity or not. So yeah, maybe using role models as an all-encompassing moral guideline might not be the best idea. But using these people as a tool to motivate and inspire yourself to accomplish what you thought you could have never done is essential. Especially for those who don’t have many extraordinary examples in their own life.