Who Are My Heroes and What Did I Learn from Them?

I thought I would do something different for today’s post. I want to talk about my heroes and why I consider them heroes. These are people I look up to. I am only including those that have become famous, although there are some people who aren’t famous that qualify for this list.

These people are listed in alphabetical order by last name because I don’t have any other order I could put them in. They are all special people and mean a lot to me, even though I have never met any of them in person.

Michael J. Fox

You might know him from: Back to the Future trilogy, Family Ties, Teen Wolf, Homeward Bound

Michael J. Fox is an outstanding actor who works hard. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was young, despite it being more of an old person’s disease. I’m sure he’s had ups and downs over the years, but despite that, he’s maintained a positive attitude and has been an inspiration to people all over the world, not just those with Parkinson’s. Incidentally, I have a family member who has Parkinson’s. I was saddened when Michael J. Fox went public about his diagnosis. It seemed so unfair that a promising young actor who had many roles under his belt would eventually have to do less and less. He always worked hard at his roles, doing the best he could. It was amazing that he was diagnosed in the early 90s, but no one knew until he went public in the late 90s. All through that he acted and no one could tell. He would not, and still will not let his condition hold him back. He has every excuse to just hide out in his house for the rest of his days…but he doesn’t. He has his foundation, he does interviews, he even does the occasional acting role. Of all the people on this list, I think Michael is the one person who has impacted me the most lately. I hope a cure for Parkinson’s is found for his sake, as well as the sake of my family member.

Terry Fox

You might know him from: His run across Canada

He was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. Did that stop him? No! He did his run across Canada, starting in Newfoundland. He did this with a prosthetic leg. I couldn’t do it with two full-functioning legs! He raised awareness and money for cancer. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to the other coast, but he still remains one of my heroes. He found his purpose and wouldn’t let anything stand in his way. He didn’t use his cancer as a reason to quit.

Tom Hanks

You might know him from: Big, Apollo 13, Forrest Gump, The DaVinci Code

Tom Hanks is an all-around nice guy. He works hard at his roles and is believable as whatever character he is portraying. He is one person the tabloids have a hard time printing something mean about.

Dolly Parton

You might know her from: Her music, such as I Will Always Love You, 9 to 5, Jolene, and many others.

I am not a country fan at all. I like some of Dolly Parton’s music, but what I like about her is that she is genuine (I’m not talking about her looks!). She is truly a kind person who wants to help people. She has a book club for young children, where her organization sends out a monthly book to kids five and under. I wish the program existed in my area when my son was that young (I think it does now, but my son is almost 12 as I write this).

Queen

You might know them from: Their successful music career including songs such as We Are the Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, Under Pressure, and many others

I included the entire group of Queen, because they aren’t just one person carrying the whole band. They are Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. All of them are smart (Brian is an astrophysicist!), and all of them work hard. They would not rest until the songs they wrote and recorded were as close to perfection as they could get. They never half-assed their way through life. And that is why their music stood the test of time. Freddie Mercury died in 1991, but their music lives on and is still relevant.

Will Smith

You might know him from: His successful rap career, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In Pursuit of Happyness, Men in Black

Will Smith doesn’t give up, no matter the obstacle. He will keep working until he achieves his goal. I remember reading this quote by Will that sums up his attitude:

“The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be out-worked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me, you might be all of those things you got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple, right? You’re not going to out-work me. It’s such a simple, basic concept. The guy who is willing to hustle the most is going to be the guy that just gets that loose ball. The majority of people who aren’t getting the places they want or aren’t achieving the things that they want in this business is strictly based on hustle. It’s strictly based on being out-worked; it’s strictly based on missing crucial opportunities. I say all the time if you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready.”

Betty White

You might know her from: Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland

Betty White has lived a long life…and she’s still going! She stays young by keeping active, not retiring, and not letting her advanced age stop her. She’s also a big advocate for animals.

Oprah Winfrey

You might know her from: The Oprah Winfrey Show

Oprah Winfrey’s success didn’t get handed to her on a silver platter. She had to work hard from her simple upbringing to get to where she is today. She encountered many obstacles over the years, but somehow made it through without giving up. She helps people all over the world, and encourages people to read. She always used her show to help people. When other talk shows were talking about who the baby’s daddy is, or having guests threaten each other with chairs, Oprah was helping people with the topics she would bring on screen. Even when she had celebrity guest stars, they were of inspiring people who had words of wisdom to impart on the audience. She used her powers for good. Despite everything she went through, she ended up being a kind soul.

What We Can Learn from Them

I know it seems like an odd mishmash of people. Where else would you ever see these same people on a list together? At the core of each of these people are a few lessons that they all teach me, and inspire me to become better.

1. Work hard. None of them half-ass their way through life. They are successful because they work hard at what they do.
2. Give back. They all help people in their own way.
3. Don’t settle. Don’t settle for less than your best. I am used to doing a lackluster job on anything I do. I want to do my best…I don’t even know what that is because I haven’t reached it yet. I am changing that.
4. Never give up. Don’t use obstacles as an excuse to give up; use obstacles as a reason to keep going so you can surmount them and become stronger in the end.

What are your heroes? What have you learned from them? Let me know!

May your life be passionate!