I also think though that you can work on a weakness based off what you see as a strength in someone else. Learn and engage with them, and figure out how you can improve.

I like what you bring up about tweaking your own behaviors and abilities based off what you admire. I think that is entirely possible. It's all what you make of your experience.

Go forth and do wonders, Superman.

When we both got into PR, something happened. During the past seven years we both come home and share our struggles and our successes. I've helped him write letters to send home during various crisis and he helped me set up A/V for special events.

But gradual shift occurred over the years. I started calling him to ask him to proof read my letters and help me write media statements. And although he has never once asked me to set up a data projector, he has asked me for help designing websites (unbelieving gasps from those who know @vedo) and publications. I've become a much better listener and he has become an outstanding writer (http://nextcommunications.blogspot.com/), trainer, and consultant.

Our personalities are still our own, but better, I think. And that is how it is supposed to work. I don't think you ever “arrive” or get to a place where you are completely happy with who you are. That doesn't mean you should beat yourself up either. We all have bits of awesomeness and bits of normalness.

Not saying that you have to marry your mentor, but it don't hurt either.
@kescovedo

I honestly don't see what's wrong with seeing traits in other people (@lulugrimm is passionate and stays strong in her personal beliefs). That's something I admire and strive to have. I think it's only natural to seek out others you admire and look up to and try to model yourself after said person.

Who you are is a result of your actions and your decisions. Decisions aren't made for you, you make them as they come. One must decide how to approach each individual situation without letting what you are or what you'd like to be make the decision for you.

It's easy to wish you were like someone else, but that's usually because you're only seeing that person at face value. You're seeing the positive aspects of their life without understanding the bad. I think everyone has ups and downs in their life, regardless of their situation. We each have to approach each up and down the best we know how.

The result of those decisions makes you who you are, not the other way around.

In all seriousness, this is a terrific point. Human beings are social creatures. We observe and learn from those around us. And we want to be like the people we admire. This isn't a new concept…look at little kids who dress up like their parents. This Halloween, how many little Spidermen, Batmen, Wonder Women and Princesses will you see? Tons of them!

Sadly, I've been trying to change my birth certificate to say I'm from Krypton in the hopes of having super powers for quite some time now. I'm no closer to being able to having super strength of heat vision.

However, this extends beyond childhood…when we can look at other people and say, “Wow, I want to be like that,” and then go do something about it. I can very easily look at my family, friends and colleagues and analyze their behaviors and tweak my own to incorporate things they do that I admire.

We are the sum of our experiences…so the things we do and the people we meet help us grow and evolve.