Who Is Your Hero?

Whenever you are doing anything that you haven't done before (or even if you have), it's always good to find a good role-model to look up to. Even if you are doing something that's never been done before, there are still people to learn from. We think it's very important to find your heroes in order to learn important lessons to help with your own growth.

If you're chasing your dream, and you can find someone who is already living that dream, you should ask yourself what you can learn from that person. How did they do it? Did they do it under similar circumstances as to others, or did they carve their own path? Who helped them? What sort of conditions allowed them to make it there?

Monkey + Seal enjoy reading biographies of great people, as we often find that there are similar traits that amazing people have. Determination, unwavering will in the face of hardship, a good support network, a lot a lot a lot of hard work - all of these are usually constants in major successes. There's also a little bit of luck, but when you read deeper into success stories, often this luck is actually the manisfestation of networking, guts, and years of hard work.

Often times Michael Jordan is seen as the pinnacle of athleticism, one (if not THE) greatest basketball players of all time. However, as he'll tell you, it's not a natural talent, but an unnatural drive and perseverance that made him the legend that he is today. Arriving to practice early and leaving late every single practice is what set him apart. If you look at most professional superstar athletes, it's that hard work that makes them great, not natural talent or luck.

The point of this is that on the surface, our heroes may look like shining idols on pedestals, but they all have a plan that worked for them. For MJ, it was a plan to show up early and leave late and never stop working hard. That plan is something you can replicate.

Hello Lucky! started out in co-owner Eunice Moyle's garage - the story goes that after three years of 7-day workweeks and non-stop door-knocking, card-printing, and all-around-hustling, Hello Lucky was able to grow to the stationery giant they are now with a world-wide distribution, features in Martha Stewart Wedding, and two craft books under their belt. Formula? Lots of hours spent perfecting designs and having a great business plan + a few years of non-stop hard work = awesomeness.

So whether your ambitions are in sports, stationery, medicine, or whatever, find your heroes. Who is doing what you want to be doing? If no one is doing what you want to be doing, find someone who is doing something similar, even if it's in a different field. Learn from people who have done it before. Find out their story. Ask them for interviews. Read their biographies. Research their companies and figure out what you need to do to make your own dreams come true. Find your heroes and then become one yourself. Go get 'em!