Sometimes, we have a tendency to just want to look and sound like everyone else, to wear the same clothes, listen to the same music and buy the same big-screen TV’s.  As social beings, we are inclined to want to blend in with everyone else, conforming to their values and ideas.

Even those who say that they are anti-conformists often end up looking and sounding just like each other.

We feel that there is safety in numbers and if everyone else is acting a certain way then it must be OK, but I suspect that for us to maximise our true potential, we need to stand out from the crowd.

Here are ten reasons why I think we need to stand out from the crowd:

  1. The masses are mediocre and you’re capable of more.
  2. You can’t be a leader if no-one can tell you apart from those who are supposed to be following you.
  3. You are unique, with unique skills, experiences and ideas, so don’t waste that by being the same as everyone else.
  4. No-one ever achieved greatness or made a difference by conforming to the standard of the people around them.
  5. The longer you conform to the requirements of the crowd, the harder it is to break away when you need to.
  6. The masses are generally fearful and suspicious, but being bold and fearless is a much more rewarding and exhilarating way to live.
  7. Frankly, group-think makes you dumb.  Don’t allow the mob to think for you.  Read, reflect, debate and learn to express ideas that matter.
  8. We’ve got enough boring, uninteresting drones walking around, we need you to be different.
  9. The crowd has a slow heart-rate and low energy levels, standing out through excellence, innovation or optimism gives you passion for living.
  10. Great people make it happen, average people let it happen, but the crowd says, “What happened?”

And here are a couple of reasons not to stand out from the crowd:

  • If you just crave attention to overcome your insecurities.
  • If you’re just being unnecessarily controversial without actually adding anything of value.

I want to encourage you today to stand out from the crowd.

Just make sure that you do it for the right reasons.

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