It is extremely easy to be average. All you have to do is what everyone else is doing. Yes, that includes making money at a large company and driving a Mercedes. That is what average people do.
Is it extremely difficult to go against the grain and to do something unconventional. Warren Buffet once said that people will try and stop you from doing the right thing if it is unconventional. This happens because people are mediocre and they don’t understand the value in unconventional things.
AVERAGE = MEDICORE
We are all apart of a social construct that binds us to its norms.
From Chris Guillebeau.com
If you think about it, it is the people who attempt the unconventional that are oftentimes the ones we most admire. We label them as “special” or as “exceptional,” when all they really did was something different. However, for a time, they were not labeled as special or gifted or exceptional, instead, they were outcasts that didn’t quite “get it.”
All remarkable people were unremarkable at some point. The difference was in their decision to do something unconventional; to accept the label of outcast and venture into the unknown.
When you make this decision, there will always be a nagging feeling of doubt. The key is to embrace it, work harder than average, and overcome the mediocre.
HOW TO DOMINATE THE WORLD
(Note- the following is based on my interpretation of The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau. Get the book here or download his free manifesto here.)
♦ Passion (Obsession). Most people call the driving force of change passion, but I like obsession better. The word obsession is already pre-loaded with its own set of social stigmas. People like passion because it goes well with balance. It seems appropriate to have two sets of competing ideas working together nicely so that no one will judge you. But they don’t work together nicely. In order to overcome the obstacles of society, then you will have to be obsessive. You can’t dominate the world while fretting over a Games of Throne episode. Balance is average.
♦ Vision. You have to be able to see the world differently. Your vision is what will drive you every day. It is what will keep you going when the weight of the world is bearing down on you and it will keep you on that path no matter what. Take ownership of what you want to achieve and then remain steadfast. Hold strong.
♦ Commitment. It takes 10,000 hours. Not 10. Not 4, but 10,000. Remarkable people don’t lose sight of the end state — they stay committed for the long-haul. This is the part where the weary, soft, and “passionate” people fail. The hard thing about hard things is that it is hard to do. When you are in it and you feel the nag of comfort, fight it. Embrace the feeling and know that most people fail at exactly this point. Stay the Course!
Read More: Discipline Equals Freedom
You don’t need experience, money, talent or genetics. You need obsession, vision, and commitment.
STRATEGY
“The pathway to world domination, or whatever it is you want to do, begins with clearly understanding what you want to get out of life.” – Chris Guillebeau via The Art of Non-Conformity
1. Know what you want, then create a plan for achieving it. Understand that there is always more than one way to get what you want and it doesn’t have to be transparent. If you want to build a business, then start by reading everything you can about building a business. Action is king but start with learning. Strategy is a fancy word for thinking.
2. Study the process, then make it simple. Simply knowing is not enough and as the old adage goes, “if the only thing that mattered was information, everyone would be a billionaire with a six-pack.” You have to understand the process by studying it. Learn as much as you can about what you hope to achieve, then distilling those ideas into a simple process. The keyword is simple. You can’t lose a hundred pounds by cutting out all carbs, dropping to 750 calories and then exercising seven days a week. You will fail because the process became too complex. You can, however, lose 100 pounds by making simple changes and adhering to those changes every single day.
3. Be consistent with the things that matter the most. Life is chaos and there are always things that we cannot plan for. We also cannot plan for how our crazy primate brain will act in every situation. The key is consistency with the things that matter the most. I read every day, no matter what. I don’t eat healthy every day, I don’t work out every day, but I read every day. To me, it is the thing that matters the most. And when I do this thing, it sets in motion all the other things.
4. Action is king. Always choose to take action. Too many people are dreamers that pose as creatives. Action is the impetus to change, which is the driving force behind success.
5. Leave an impact. Sometimes it is called a legacy. Whatever you come to call it, think about the impact your actions will make. People are drawn to authorities and people will respect those with power. Choose to impact people in a way that will motivate change within themselves.
Onward,
Chief
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