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Hold Yourself to the Standards of Your Heroes
To level up, harness your imitative instincts.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”
― Oscar Wilde
Everybody has their own heroes. Or idols, role models, whichever name you prefer. I choose to call them heroes. Like, you know, people you admire for whatever reason. Maybe you like how they look, how good they are at a certain craft, or how they position themselves in the world.
Growing up is a complicated affair, and having heroes gives us an ideal to aspire to. It helps us navigate life as we break through it.
By looking at our heroes, comparing ourselves to them, and imitating their thoughts and behaviors, we take steps toward becoming who we want to be. And in turn, we’ll inspire those behind us who follow our steps.
In this piece, I want to share a story about the human proclivity for imitation, and how you can harness it to emulate your heroes.
First, let me introduce you to a guy named Gabriel Tarde.
Tarde’s Laws of Imitation
Science has long since established, time and again, that imitation is an…