Standing out in the crowd
Well this subject line could be taken several different ways.
The first meaning is the one similar to you’re standing out in the rain. Well who wants to do that. EXACTLY. Who the heck wants to be standing out in any crowd. Why not avoid the crowd, and follow your own path?
The second meaning is making yourself apparant in a sea of similar people. Really, I’ve always preferred to be a big fish in a little pond than to be a little fish in a big pond. And consider this, I was reading something on the decline of the big recording companies about six months ago. It appears that all a band needs to make bank is to have about 10,000 fans. And they can do that today simply in the age of the internet and social media. We all have extremely unique attributes – things about us that make us vastly different than anyone else on the planet.
Think about what makes you different than anyone else?
Where will that difference be most useful?
For me, it started when I was in high school – I loved science and math but I was very much of a people person. I was not your standard “engineering” type I was told over and over again. My Dad even said in one college interview that he had no idea why I really wanted to go into engineering as I was much better at psychology. The person interviewing me said – well Mr. LaBrosse, in engineering we need people people too. I think your daughter will find a welcome home in this field.
Yeah this many sea lions in one location is impressive, but you'd have to study them long and hard to distinguish one from another. Make yourself stand out from the crowd.
Being a people person who can swim well in both worlds – extreme engineering, and the extreme people skills required of being a CEO has served me extremely well. Yes I am a bit odd and I don’t quite fit in either camp very well – but it has helped me create some incredible products, business ideas and make a big impact on the world.
I figure there are now over 6 billion people on the planet – I certainly don’t need or want all of them to love me. I’m happy with just helping a million people here and there with my Cheetah Learning courses and free tools. Luckily I’m young as I still have a ways to go to hit the million person mark. I’m getting closer though as about half a million people have downloaded my free tools and I’ve had about 10% of those become my students and stay around to be on my mailing list.
But I didn’t do this overnight. I was reading in Malcolm Gladwell’s Outlier book that for anyone to achieve a level of mastery, they need to put about 10,000 hours into mastering their craft. I’ve been at this business building schtick for 21 years now. I’ve devoted over 200 hours per month to building my craft as an entrepreneur, business owner, marketer, project manager, accelerated learning specialist. I live, sleep, and eat my business – it isn’t work to me, it is what I love. So spending 50,400 + hours doing that has created one heck of an existence.
Become the big fish in your own little pond – check out my free downloads.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
[…] – see the Creating Meaningful Work posting. Create value from your unique differences – see the Standing Out from the Crowd posting. Find the opportunity from adversity – see the Concerned About Keeping or Getting a Job in […]