Biographies have always played a major role in my reading.  I still remember browsing that shelf in the grade school library.  Today my own bookshelves and Kindle library reflect continuing fascination with the people who grow into names we recognize: military heroes and civil servants, spiritual leaders and politicians, business tycoons and social activists.

Norman Schwartzkopf.  Steve Jobs.  Mother Teresa.  Ted Kennedy.  The Dalai Lama.  Nelson Mandela.  Pope Francis. Ted Kennedy.  Abraham Lincoln.  Theodore Roosevelt.  Malala.  Harold Ickes. (Yes!  Harold Ickes...at 900+ pages, his biography is the longest of them all.)  Mohandus Gandhi. Nelson Mandela.

Yesterday I finished the most recent in that series. In Taking a Stand, Todd Wilkinson writes about Ted Turner's evolution as a philanthropic advocate for environmental and social issues.  His activism and generosity bolster causes ranging from endangered species to sustainable bison ranching, nuclear arms reduction to improving the global status of women.  As I closed the electronic cover and reflected on another great read, I asked what I find compelling about reading life stories like those. 

One common thread arose when I considered the array of names listed above.  I am drawn to the stories of people who live(d) for ideals larger than themselves.  Though ego is far from absent in these tales, fame and glory do not explain it all.   The vision of a higher purpose drives the lives of people who inspire me.  They have, in one shape or another, the desire to leave the world a better place.  Many are also remarkably humble, dodging the spotlight and sharing credit or diverting it to others.

Last week, we reflected on sources of optimism buried in the national press.  That topic led me back, in turn, to the field of positive psychology and the role of personal hope in healthy and successful lives.  Optimism spends time and focuses effort on looking for and drawing on our own strengths.  It also looks for, celebrates, and draws energy from the examples of others.  

I am more likely to succeed if I can envision the outcome.  I am more likely to envision future success if I recognize accomplishments from the past.  I am also more likely to believe in a positive outcome if I see how others have overcome adversity in meeting challenges of their own.

Who are your role models?  How do your challenges echo the ones they have overcome?  What strengths do you have in common and how will that influence your next steps?