To translate ‘anugatyam’ as ‘to follow’ is not clear enough. This word awakens the association that the bhakta – in his later received cit-body – shall do what those do who are Krishna’s Own eternal beloved. This is completely wrong.
Ga = someone who walks;
anuga = someone who walks anu, i.e. in accordance with.
Someone is called anuga when he walks, i.e. behaves as he was taught.
The correct behaviour of an anuga is called anugati.
The abstract noun of anugati is anugatyam.
Anugati does not imply imitation, succession, emulation or to tread in someone’s footsteps – by no means.
The word ‘gopibhava’ does not imply THE FEELING OF being this or that gopi who serves Him directly, or that one IS a gopi who serves Him directly. It means to serve Him with the SAME PURITY AS THEY DO – i.e., to be free from every expectation of experiencing joy, experiencing selfishly.
It is a matter of HOW one shall serve, not THAT one shall do WHAT they do in their service.

Svami Sadananda Dasa, Corrections and Shrila Prabhupada’s Vani.