I’ve been thinking a lot about motivation lately, trying to pin down what really gets me to work my best. One of the things that really inspires me is my list of heroes.
I’ve got lots of heroes and obviously they change depending on the context. For example, my boss Charlie is one of my work heroes, as is one of my barristers, Chris. That’s ’cause they know everything. Honest, they do. They know more about the law than I know about everything combined.
However, there are four heroes that cross all my categories and come out as my shiny superheroes, complete with capes and knickers-over-tights. At least, metaphorically speaking. I only know one of my heroes, but that’s cool. I don’t need to know them for them to seriously influence my life in loads and loads of ways, all for the positive. Therefore, in no particular order, I’d like to present the SuperHero Award to …
p!nk
I’m putting P!nk first, because she’s been my hero for the longest. I’ve loved her music for years and years, but more than just her amazing vocal skills (which, incidentally are as powerful and tuneful live as they are in the studio, a total rarity these days!), I love her message.
This is why P!nk motivates me:
she isn’t afraid to be herself
even from the age of 20/21-odd, when she first went to LA, she has refused to conform and become something she isn’t
when on tour, she has brag-days where she and all her crew give a reason they’re amazing. How cool’s that? Something we don’t do enough these days (and we don’t do at all in England, God forbid!)
she’s passionate about her beliefs and doesn’t hesitate to take people on to champion them
she works incredibly hard
she has the best abs known to mankind
she’s so joyous – she always seems to be living and enjoying life to the full
To me, she’s F*ckin Perfect.
Tony Horton
Ah Tony … Tony Tony. For the uninitiated, Tony is the co-creator and presenter of the Power 90 series of home DVD work-out programmes which are produced by BeachBody. I absolutely adore Tony – which is fortunate as he comes into my living room on a daily basis to give me my daily workout dose. He’s so funny, so successful, and yet somehow he’s avoided becoming an arrogant jerk.
So here’s why I love Tony:
he’s funny – really really funny
he doesn’t take himself seriously
he’s totally non-judgmental and accepts everyone just the way they are
he has an uncanny knack of encouraging you to laugh and work super-hard, both at the same time
despite being overwhelmingly successful, he’s not even a little bit arrogant (well, not in a bad way, just in a funny way)
Anyway, Tony might actually be a real superhero with proper superpowers. Have you seen the man on a pegboard?!
Gok Wan
Gok is my third superhero.
He has the unusual distinction of being the only man to make me cry on a regular basis (I only have to turn on How To Look Good Naked and I’m a blubbering mess on the floor, and as for his autobiography, it nearly finished me off altogether), and yet he’s up there with the best of them.
Here’s why:
he’s so warm he’s practically a mug of hot chocolate, a 13.5 tog duvet and a hot water bottle all rolled into one
he is super, super kind
he manages to make people feel so good about themselves without being even vaguely patronizing
he’s pretty much revolutionized the concept of self-improvement TV. Remember those ghastly hags Trinny and Susannah?
he’s overcome an awful lot in his life without allowing it to make him twisted or bitter
he makes people so happy
So there we are – nothing to argue with there. He’s an all-round hero.
Maddie Dillon
Maddie‘s my fourth and final hero and the only one on the list I actually know. In fact, when I said that P!nk had been my hero for the longest, I’ve realised that that’s not quite right – Maddie’s been my hero since I first met her, back in 1993 when she was four days old.
Amazingly, the intervening 18 years haven’t made her fall off her pedestal, but that’s ’cause she’s all round awesome.
For those not in the know, Maddie’s a triathlete. You might recognise her as a silver medallist in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, or as the winner of the 16-19 Age Group ITU World Championships a couple years ago.
But that’s not why she’s my hero. Mostly she’s my hero just ’cause of who she is:
she works so hard – she’s the most dedicated person I know and never cruises on her prodigious talents
she manages to multi-task like a demon – I have no idea how she manages to juggle school, work, a social life, family, triathlon training, events and travel
she’s unbelievably self-motivated
she’s super-multi-talented – seriously, she’s good at absolutely everything
she’s managed to avoid being arrogant – difficult when you’re that talented (see entry above!)
she’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met
she’s almost as warm as Gok
she’s just a lovely lovely person
Consequently, I want to be Maddie when I grow up. It’s really very simple.
So there’s the line up – my four absolute SuperHeroes. I have to admit – I like having superheroes because they inspire me to be more than I was naturally born to be.
One day I’m gonna earn my own cape and shiny tights.
xxx
PS – in an uncanny coincidence, I’ve just realised that three out of the four heroes mentioned above are Virgos. Coincidence much?!
