Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Role Models and your Knitting



Self development guru's often talk about using people who are successful in the way that at you want to be as role models. I think I've done this a lot in my own life by looking at the behavior of others.When I had a job at a large corporation in a huge department of many people performing the same function and all making the same money I was struck by how some struggled from paycheck to paycheck while others seemed to enjoy an apparently different level of abundance in their lives. By asking carefully worded questions I was able to pick up a lot of financial tips (especially the what not to do kind) that I still live by today. 

When I was trying to lose weight I asked two of my thin friends how they kept  their slim figures as it seemed to be so effortless from my perspective. I got great strategies from both of them and found out that it wasn't effortless. Knowing that is part of the key to searching for your own approach in dealing with these dilemmas in life. 

I've also been struck by how less successful types will refuse any advice from people who have already accomplished what they themselves want. A unhappy single friend once told myself and and another married friend that we knew nothing about how to achieve a happy relationships because we both already have great husbands. Duh! That really shut the door on us giving any dating advice and she is still unhappily single today. Another told me that I know nothing about how difficult it is to save money because I have private income from my corporate career. Her income is approximately double what I earn yet I still have a larger retirement savings account and the ability to pursue an independent design career.

Knitting can be a metaphor for life for many of us. Watch your knitting friends and see how they deal with challenges. Do they give up at the first sign of trouble or do they take a course to learn new skills? Do they knit the same garter stitch scarf over and over and complain that they are bored of knitting? Do they explain away the successful projects of others as "well that's easy for you because....or do they ask for advice on how to achieve the same or even better results? Do they keep on trying new methods and refining their skills by practicing? The only way you get better at anything is to challenge yourself on a daily basis and that works for your knitting, your financial management and all other areas of your life.

Who are your knitting/life skills role models and what could you learn from them?

1 comment:

  1. I have a lot of role models in my knitting and designing life. Stephen West is one of them because we are fairly close in age. Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe of Delicious Knits is another because I love a lot of her patterns.

    I try to learn from them by seeing how they promote their patterns, what types of patterns they choose to design and how they take their photos. I'm still learning, but I really do want to have a successful designing career someday!

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