I Took the Only Path To See You

CHAPTER 8Choosing Your Role Models

There's an old saying, “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” That's because we tend to be like the people we spend the most time with at work, at home, and during our leisure hours. Another way of saying this is, “Birds of a feather, flock together.”

The people we hang around with can greatly influence who we are, but a far more important measurement is who our role models might be. Role models are typically someone you admire or aspire to emulate. That's why so many people admire and respect movie stars, athletes, business leaders, and celebrities of all kinds. Not only do people admire their favorite role models, but they also want to become like them as well.

That's why you must choose your role models carefully.

I sold my company, Bharosa, to Oracle in 2007. Although I respect Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, as a businessman, he is not my role model.

Larry Ellison has been married and divorced four times. While his romantic relationships are none of my business, his lifestyle is not one I aspire to. I neither need nor want his massive fortune or the power he wields as one of the richest man in the world if it means I would have to take time away watching my daughter grow up or miss having dinner with my family every night. There's no amount of money and power that can tear me away from spending more time with my family.

I have enough money that I can spend my time sharing my life with my wife and daughter without ...