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Tag: Role Models

  • American boys are falling behind girls at school — and that has long-term effects on their health

    American boys are falling behind girls at school — and that has long-term effects on their health

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    I’m excited. My 8-year-old grandson Luca has taken up cross country running and I’m looking forward to joining him on training runs and local 5K races. We’ve already got one booked for October. As one who didn’t discover the physical and therapeutic benefits of running until college, my vision is that Luca develops a healthy habit that he can sustain well into adulthood.

    I’m equally excited about the opportunity to be a supportive and positive voice, a thought that motivates me to keep up my own running regimen and healthy behavior. Boosting my thrill is research describing the importance of male role models for boys and the positive impact produced by loving fathers and grandfathers.

    Yet, with all this positivity, my thinking is tempered by a rapidly emerging consensus that boys today are at risk. It’s a point with implications for not only grandfathers, but fathers, uncles, stepdads, foster fathers, coaches, teachers and any man in a position to make a positive contribution to the life of a young man.

    Turns out, my personal interest in bonding with Luca in a new way comes at a time when the well-being of boys is being labeled a crisis. To me, this represents a call to action for men of all ages to do our part to help shape the future of the boys in our lives. It’s a call that can impact boys while conveying benefits to the men who get engaged.

    Defining the educational crisis boys are facing

    According to the American Institute for Boys and Men, boys are struggling at school and have fallen well behind girls in academic achievement. There is a 14% gap in school readiness between boys and girls at age 5. Boys have lower grade point averages than girls throughout their K-12 educations. Boys are less likely to take advanced-placement courses and less likely to graduate high school. Women make up the majority of students on America’s college campuses, a gap of 15% between young men and women.

    It gets worse. AIBM also notes that in the average school district, boys are almost a grade level behind girls in English language arts (there is no gap in Math), and that the risk of suicide is four times higher for boys and young men than their female peers — and has risen by 40% among younger men since 2010. The severity of this problem prompted Melinda French Gates to announce funding for AIBM earlier this year as part of a gender equality initiative to better help boys achieve as highly as girls.

    Louis Bezich LucaProvided Image/Louis Bezich

    Louis Bezich with his grandson Luca.

    Beyond educational achievement and suicide statistics, the difference between boys and girls has additional implications for a boy’s health and well-being. The American Psychological Association says that “the implications of the disparities between boys and girls are huge. Doing poorly at school is strongly associated with major challenges later in life, including addiction, mental and physical health problems, and involvement with the criminal justice system — problems that also have ripple effects on society at large.”

    A piece published in the Columbia Political Review in 2021 suggested the poor state of U.S. boys can be traced to the American educational system, which perpetuates gender norms that overlook the harm that they inflict on boys. Predominant among these stereotypes is that boys misbehave more. That has translated into a number of concerning outcomes which constitute the crisis.

    The outcomes, the article states, include a high rate of failing grades, boys comprising the majority of students labeled as learning disabled, and a dropout rate 40% more frequent than girls. All of this because boys have a propensity to misbehave and consequently are more likely to be punished and receive harsher treatment. Further complicating the gender disparity is a creativity crisis in which girls outperform boys in schools that overvalue obedience and disincentivize creativity, because social norms categorize girls as more submissive. 

    The article concludes that children are being groomed to be submissive to authority rather than developing independent thought. Further, it argues that this culture of obedience has doubled the rate of ADHD diagnosis in boys. A failure to accommodate students with behavioral problems has resulted in misdiagnosed boys placed in decelerated learning environments.

    Potential solutions to the crisis

    Richard Reeves, a scholar at the Brookings Institute, is the president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and the author of “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It.” He believes that gender gaps exist between boys and girls (and men and women) in both directions, and that efforts at gender equality should extend to boys and men. 

    Reeves believes that there are specific actions that educators can take to close the gap between boys and girls. They include “redshirting” boys by having them start school a year later than girls, recruiting more men (especially African American men) as teachers, and generally getting more men into female-dominated jobs in health, education, administration and literacy while continuing to increase women’s participation in STEM fields.

    The American Psychological Association’s Task Force on Boys in School echoes Reeves’ thoughts on redshirting and offers additional school-based initiatives to advance the wellbeing of boys including hands-on interactive instructional methods, more recess-type breaks in the day for kids to be kids, talking to boys about how they interact with friends, and developing listening and relationship building skills.

    A call to action

    I’ve given you the insights of experts on the crisis facing boys today. They are extensive and while I haven’t explored the extension of these conditions into adult males (a subject for a future column), they are equally troubling and present a completing argument to act immediately to stop the growth of these problems among boys.

    While our educational systems carry a big burden to change the culture of education that has fostered this crisis, we as parents, grandparents and male stakeholders can play a role in this equation as role models providing a positive influence and as advocates that recognize the challenges boys face and push for change.

    To bring this discussion back to the personal perspective from which it started, think about the boys in your life. Find a way, whether through sports or other activities to create a bond and see how they’re doing. Don’t assume all is OK because they say so.

    No, I’m not suggesting that you act like a drill sergeant to probe and push for a download of the child’s life. Just try to get to know them a little better and see where it takes you. It might just be the best thing you did for them — and yourself.

    Louis Bezich, senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Cooper University Health Care, is author of “Crack The Code: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50.” Read more from Louis on his website.

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    Louis Bezich

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  • The Worldbuilding of Inside Out 2: New Emotions, Belief System, and a Sense of Self

    The Worldbuilding of Inside Out 2: New Emotions, Belief System, and a Sense of Self

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    “Inside Out 2” introduces new emotions like Anxiety and Envy as Riley navigates the challenges of growing up and forming her sense of self. This heartfelt sequel naturally builds on the inner world of its predecessor, teaching important lessons in mental health for both children and adults.

    The original “Inside Out” (2015) was a monumental Pixar film that humorously depicted the chaotic inner world of emotions that we all have to navigate.

    In the first one, the young protagonist Riley had to learn that negative emotions like “Sadness” (a blue-colored character) aren’t something that have to be avoided at all costs, but are appropriate emotions to feel sometimes, and even a necessary function of a happy and healthy life. It was a powerful lesson in emotional intelligence that resonated with both children and adults alike.

    The sequel “Inside Out 2” (2024) continues to build off of these themes in a fun, organic, and intuitive way. Riley is now thirteen and about to enter high school. She starts to experience a new range of emotions (especially “Anxiety” and “Envy”), which start to influence her newly forming “belief system” and a “sense of self.”

    The creators of the Inside Out franchise have a team of psychologists that help them illustrate key concepts in an imaginative way, which makes this film both enjoyable and educational. This article will explore some of the new concepts in the film and how the mental world-building in the franchise continues to expand.

    New Emotions

    Inside Out 2 introduces a bunch of new emotions into Riley’s inner world. In addition to the original line-up (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Disgust), they also include:

    • Anxiety (orange): The focus of the film. Anxiety is always thinking ahead and wanting what is best for Riley, but also overworks and overworries her. The main narrative of the film shows Riley wanting to become the best hockey player she can possibly be; anxiety tries to help her achieve this by motivating Riley to constantly push herself forward, wake up early to train more, and work harder. However, too much anxiety distracts her from other core values in life, such as kindness and friendship, and also hurts her ability to just have fun and enjoy the game of hockey. At the climax of the film, Anxiety works itself up into such a frenzy that it freezes and has a panic attack (this scene has resonated with a lot of people who have experienced similar attacks, including myself). Riley must learn that while anxiety can be a powerful motivator it also needs to be balanced with feelings of acceptance, relaxation, and joy.
    • Envy (cyan): This emotion is always admiring others, looking up to them, and wanting what they have. When Riley first meets her hockey idols, she becomes envious of how “cool” and “successful” they are, so she strives to become just like them by mimicking them and copying their behaviors, including at one point dying her hair the same way to be more like them. Like all emotions, envy and jealousy can be insightful emotions with the right perspective: they can show us what we want or value in life. However when our lives are completely run by these feelings, we end up trying to be something we’re not.
    • Embarrassment (pink): A big goofy emotion that looks away and covers his head in a hoodie whenever something shameful or embarrassing happens to Riley. It’s interesting to note that many of the new emotions added have a social component to them. This makes sense as Riley comes of age and begins to balance her self-perception with how she is perceived by others.

      inside out 2 emotions characters
      All of the emotions in Inside Out 2 (both old and new). One cool thing about each emotion is that it is naturally paired with a specific color. Sadness is blue, Anger is red, Joy is yellow, Disgust is green, and Anxiety is orange.

    • Ennui/Boredom (purple): A humorous emotion with a stereotypically snobby French accent that constantly pretends to not be interested in anything. They will often deflect serious or uncomfortable situations with sarcasm, irony, or feigned disinterest. This character cleverly shows how many people use sarcasm as a defense mechanism when they are too afraid to be honest or sincere about their true thoughts and feelings. It reflects a common attitude among teenagers and young adults where it’s perceived as “lame” to care too much about anything.
    • Nostalgia (beige): This emotion is a side character that pops up a couple times throughout the film. Each time the other emotions humorously tell “Nostalgia” that she is arriving too soon, and that Riley has to at least wait for her first date, first kiss, or graduation before she starts reminiscing on the past. Perhaps Nostalgia will be the main character in Inside Out 10, when Riley is much older and has already lived the bulk of her life.

    The original creator Pete Docter conceived of between 5-27 emotions that could be added to the Inside Out world, so it’s likely newer emotions will continue to be introduced if the series keeps going. Check out different classifications of emotions here, the original five in the movie are based on Paul Ekman’s model (excluding “surprise”).

    Belief System and Sense of Self

    One of the most interesting new features added to the Inside Out world is the idea of a “belief system.”

    In the first movie, they introduced the concept of a “core memory” as a highly emotionally charged event that is then stored in Riley’s brain. Now these core memories can be brought to the “belief system” and turned into a belief (or recurring thought pattern). For example, when Riley fails an important exam at school, that core memory may be turned into the belief, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not smart enough.”

    Here’s how the belief system is visually represented, it looks similar to a bunch of neurons in a brain. Each ray of light represents one specific belief:

    All of these beliefs come together to create Riley’s “sense of self.” This is depicted in the movie as a type of “electric tree,” with its roots representing each core belief.

    At first the character Joy takes complete control over Riley’s “sense of self.” It only feeds positive memories and positive beliefs into her belief system, and tries to protect her from negative memories by throwing them into the “back of the mind” where they can be ignored forever.

    When the emotion Anxiety takes over, only negative beliefs are fed into the sense of self, such as “I’m not good enough” or “I need to be better.” The “sense of self” changes color and shape to reflect these changes in how Riley sees herself.

    After Riley suffers from a panic attack during a hockey game due to being completely controlled by Anxiety, the character Joy intervenes and gets Anxiety to “let go” of the controls.

    In the outside world, Riley practices a grounding technique by making note of her five senses and taking deep breaths to bring herself back to the present moment. She then does the right thing by apologizing to her friends for being so mean and distant toward them.

    Finally Riley “calls” Joy back to her and allows herself to have fun playing the rest of the hockey game with her friends.

    By the end of the movie, Riley forms a completely new “sense of self” that accepts all of her thoughts and feelings, even when they can be conflicting or contradictory at times. Riley’s emotions come together and realize that she needs all of them.

    No single emotion gets to determine who Riley is – they all contribute in helping Riley become the best version of herself.

    Conclusion

    Overall Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel that builds off of its predecessor in an organic and intelligent way that is bound to resonate with both children and adults. Make sure to put it on your watchlist this year!


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    Steven Handel

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  • Role Models Worksheet (PDF)

    Role Models Worksheet (PDF)

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    Who do you look up to in life? We are a product of our influences. Complete this “Role Models” worksheet to create an endless resource of people you can be motivated and inspired by.


    This content is for Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime members only.
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    Steven Handel

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  • Entrepreneurs Are Role Models — How to Ensure You’re a Good One | Entrepreneur

    Entrepreneurs Are Role Models — How to Ensure You’re a Good One | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Every impactful journey starts with a single step. As an entrepreneur, your actions, decisions and leadership style become the driving force behind your brand. You are the catalyst, much like the first drop of water that triggers a waterfall, and your actions can spark a cascade of positive change.

    Being a positive example means living the values you want your organization to represent. This extends to every aspect of your business — from the way you treat your employees to the way you engage with customers, from your operational processes to your marketing strategies. When your actions align with your mission and values, it becomes a powerful motivator for others to follow your lead.

    For instance, if your mission is to combat a significant global issue, such as climate change, poverty or food insecurity, your actions should reflect this commitment. This can take the form of content that showcases your work on the ground, the impact you’re making and the people you’re helping.

    Related: The Role Model Mindset: Being a Great Entrepreneur Is About Showing Others What’s Possible

    Why being a positive role model is important — and how to be one

    As an entrepreneur, you are a role model for your employees, customers, and community. Your actions and words have the power to inspire or discourage, motivate or demoralize. That’s why it’s so important to be a positive role model.

    Here are a few things you can do to be a positive role model for your business:

    • Live your values: What are the most important things to you? Honesty? Integrity? Compassion? Make sure your actions align with your values.

    • Be positive: Make an effort to be positive and upbeat even when things are tough.

    • Be willing to help others: When you help others, you make the world a better place and you also build goodwill for your business.

    • Be a good listener: Take the time to listen to your employees, customers and community members.

    Let’s dive a little further into some of these with more actionable strategies.

    Being authentic and true to your values

    Authenticity is integral to building trust with your audience, customers and team. In the age of digital transparency, consumers are becoming increasingly adept at distinguishing genuine brands from those that merely put on a show.

    When I started Great.com, I wanted transparency to be one of the core principles, so I made employee salaries public, posted every team meeting and pushed for a completely transparent and honest foundation. This set precedence for our team and cultivated a feeling of trust internally.

    When you live by your core values, it guides your decision-making process, influences your policies and shapes your brand. For instance, if one of your core values is to bring about positive change in the world, you should be willing to openly talk and share your philanthropic efforts internally and externally.

    This also extends to financial transparency. If your organization is funded through public channels like views, merchandise sales or direct donations, it’s essential to communicate how these funds are being used. By ensuring that the majority of generated revenue goes directly into the mission, you demonstrate a commitment to your cause that goes beyond lip service. This commitment can influence others to align themselves with your cause, whether that’s through direct support or by spreading your message.

    Related: Why Authenticity Is a Key Ingredient to Entrepreneurial Success, and How to Make Sure You Have It

    Trusting your team

    No entrepreneur can build a successful venture single-handedly. It requires a collaborative effort, and an essential part of this collaboration is trusting your team. When you trust your team, you empower them to contribute their ideas, take ownership of their responsibilities and play an active role in driving the organization’s mission forward.

    My company is a completely remote organization with team members across the globe and in many different time zones. We don’t force everyone to work the same hours and we don’t require teammates to log into any time tracking software or “show their work” — we built our culture on trust and lean on personal accountability rather than external mandates and policies.

    Trust breeds creativity and innovation. When team members feel their ideas and contributions are valued, they’re more likely to bring forward unique insights that could lead your organization to new heights. It also helps cultivate a positive work environment where team members feel invested in their work, increasing their motivation and productivity.

    Moreover, trust allows for effective delegation. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to oversee everything. But by trusting your team and allowing them to take charge of different aspects of the business, you free up time and energy to focus on strategic planning and growth.

    For instance, trusting a team member to lead a significant project or even front your brand’s public communication, can bring a fresh perspective and add another level of authenticity and relatability to your brand.

    Setting a positive example, being authentic and living by your values, and trusting your team are powerful strategies that can help any entrepreneur shape a successful and impactful venture. They not only contribute to the growth and success of your business but also inspire others to join your mission, creating a domino effect of positive change.

    Related: A True Leader Doesn’t Just Talk the Talk — They Walk the Walk. Here’s How to Lead from the Front.

    When you act as a positive role model, you set the standard for how your organization operates and how it interacts with the world. This means embodying your mission in every decision you make, every action you take and every message you send. It’s about practicing what you preach and showing others what your organization stands for.

    By implementing these principles, entrepreneurs can inspire others, create a loyal following and make a difference locally and throughout the world. They can turn their entrepreneurial venture from a simple business into a force for good, one that not only generates profit but also contributes positively to the world.

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    Erik Bergman

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