I would say that everyone had and has role models, even without realizing it. First, people to the large extent are products of their childhood impressions, fam

I would say that everyone had and has role models, even without realizing it. First, people to the large extent are products of their childhood impressions, family, society. It's easy to see, how rarely they take paths completely different from what they have seen and were surrounded with. If you analyze you life paths, decisions and choices, you'll find some particular reasons why they took place: because something influenced you. To me, role model is not just some particular person to follow. If you see that some group of people are common to show some particular behavior and is successful as a result, it gives you a clear signal that 1) you can do the same since you belong to that group 2) this pattern is a proven path to success. Done! No particular person, but a very strong and potentially life changing role model, that many people don't even realize influenced their life path and desisions. 0% of, say, women in some field is a negative role model, because if you are a woman and never seen successful women in this profession, why on earth should you start thinking that it is a great or feasible path? People stick to what is normal around, all their context is a role model of what is likely possible and what is not.