Following Your Footsteps

Preparing for my brother’s wedding has me thinking about where I am in life and all of the great experiences we have had together. Our parents have been a huge influence in our lives and have instilled great morals to live by. However, this post is going to focus on the example my brother has set for me and where it has taken me.

To preface, my brother is an electrical engineer and I am a marketing major. He graduated from the University of Michigan, and I graduated from Michigan State. He was primarily a track and cross country runner while I played soccer and basketball. While we appear as polar opposites on paper, we live by the same principles. I have followed his footsteps throughout childhood in order to find my true passions and learned valuable lessons with his help. Below I have laid out five areas in my life and examples of how my brother has helped me pave the road to success.

 

Critical Thinking

Eric, my brother, was always the ideal student and teachers appreciated that. Not only because he was present, but because he excelled at critical thinking and went above and beyond when given assignments. From AP classes to extracurricular organizations, he continued to inspire excellence from himself and those around him.

One of my favorite examples involves turning an AP European Studies final paper into a video project based on the TV show “24”, with Kiefer Sutherland. I was able to see my “Type A” brother turn a mundane task into a fun project. That was also the beginning of my astounding acting career.

Among other things, he also taught me to take risks. Why someone who was eventually going to be a Marketing major took Calculus 1 and 2 in high school still baffles me. (Hint: that was me)

 

Creative Thinking

The common denominator in our relationship is and always will be creative thinking. Specifically graphic design and music. Growing up my brother was always fixing things and inventing new ways of accomplishing tasks. One day I would come home to an entire custom made LEGO universe, the next day I would be enamored by a hovercraft.

Music has also brought us closer. “The Soloists“, my brother’s band, hasn’t always been the polished alternative folk stars they are today. Starting as a pianist, my brother self-taught himself guitar and the art of vocals. With persistence, he quickly shifted from and alright karaoke star to a young Keith Urban. Practice truly does make perfect.

Around the same time, I discovered my love for 90’s hip-hop and soul music which opened doors for collaboration. From covers of “California Love” to remixes of  Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” we grew closer together and challenged each other’s creative boundaries.

Another passion of mine is artistic expression through Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. With Eric stemming from more technical drawing training and myself from a more self-expressive free-form background, we made a great team. We continue to work on projects such as album covers, logo design, websites, and other creative ventures.

 

Impeccable Work Ethic

The most important life lesson I learned from my brother was to never give up on something you love and put 110% of your effort into it.

Track & field was visibly the most obvious, but he consistently gave his all across the board. Eric improved leaps and bounds year over year and never slowed down at practice. He was able to set multiple hurdle records and lead as a captain.

As a three-year football player, my brother didn’t see the field much. With little hope of becoming a starter, he continued to push himself at practice and in the few opportunities he was given in the games. My older brother was pretty much Rudy without the blockbuster movie, attendance at Notre Dame, and the inability to achieve good grades.

 

The Importance Of Helping Others

Some may view “yes men” as weak because others are able to take advantage of their personality. That happens to be one of my favorite quirks of Eric’s. Just like my mother, he has a hard time saying no to an opportunity to help out a friend. The only way to reach your goals is to help others reach theirs along the way. Can’t wait to see what my brother has in store!

 

Be Yourself

If the VanBuhler’s are anything, it is honest. You can read our body expressions like a George R.R. Martin novel. From the inability to laugh at jokes we don’t find hilarious, to letting you know how we feel in certain situations. My brother has stayed true to himself as long as I have known. You can hear it in his music. You can see it in his work life. And you can see it his actions.

I love my brother and am glad to call him family. He has helped me truly find my way and work towards being a better version of myself. If you don’t have a sibling, don’t worry as role models don’t have to be related by blood. I am just lucky to be forced to learn life with Eric by my side.

 

Stay casual until next Tie Tuesday!

 

EVB