When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example

When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example

-Roxane Gay

The quote is a  part of Roxane’s famous book, ‘Bad Feminist: Essays’. This book was published on 5th Aug in 2014. It was known for its sharp and funny commentary on the culture we consume.   Some of the other popular books of Roxane Gay are Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Difficult Women, Not that Bad, An Untamed State. But here we are going to talk about the popular quote, “When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example” from the book ‘Bad Feminist’.

Our Perspective

We have heard things like follow the footsteps of legends, successful or great people. And inspiration is a common factor which is considered the most important aspect of one’s road to success. But what if someone is following an unknown path where there are no footsteps to follow? This quote gives us an idea and perspective on the issue. Even if we are following an unknown, unconventional path, we should not give up. We should strive for success and follow our path. But in this case there is no one to guide, no one to inspire, no one to motivate, no footsteps. Here you have to create your own footsteps and not only follow it but also create footsteps on that unknown path for the coming generations. You need to set examples and lead by an example too for the others who are uncertain about that path. Your work, your success will become an inspiration and guiding path for many.

In our Life we are stuck in many situations where we can’t find any reference, inspiration for our work or any solution to overcome our problem. We need to step up and create our own ways of dealing with things rather than waiting for some source of inspiration or motivation. Even in a professional workspace there are times when we see no option for some problems and are unable to find any references for them. It is time to create your own ways to deal with your problems. When you succeed in your work, it becomes an example and inspiration for others. It’s always said that teach what you preach. It goes well with this situation too, but here you have to teach something that has never been taught before. We can take some real life hypothetical examples to understand the meaning and perspective of the quote in a better manner. For example a boy from a village wishes to become an astronaut, he has no means, no resources and nobody around him has ever heard the term ‘Astronaut’. It is considered a rich man’s thing who lives in Metropolitans. The boy has no one to follow, he only has one option, to succeed in his journey. He is following an unknown path where there are no footsteps to follow. He has to figure a way out for his means and needs in the journey. Eventually when he’ll succeed he will lead by an example.

Conclusion

A quote is one of the most powerful weapons a writer posses. A single line can change, transform lives. It can work as a source of inspiration or motivation for many. Any writer writes any piece of quote with their own experiences, feelings and hidden meanings but is persevered by different people in a different manner. A single story but 100’s of different meanings to it, this is the beauty of writing. Even if a quote has a positive impact and change in one person’s life it is wort it.

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