I remember watching an interview of Buffet and Gates, where Buffet gave this advice, paraphrased —
Choose a person you really admire. Write down the qualities you like about them. choose a person you like the least. Write the qualities that make them that way.
Now, set goals for yourself, aim to be more like the person you admire, and remove the qualities you share with the person you don’t.
Seneca also agrees — In one of his letters, he talks about how important it is to have someone to look up to. It’s hard to make something straight without a ruler.