It may not apply to you
Forget one-in-a-million, each of us are one-in-seven-billion.
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead
It’s really easy to read the book, watch the documentary, take the class, or listen to the ‘guru.’ It can feel like the answers, and the correct path are laid out for us. It seems like there shouldn’t be any question it will work for us too.
We hear how millions of people have found the thing and are transforming their lives; we hear it about workout plans, nutrition plans, weight loss, business growth, career paths… We hear ‘it’ over and over again, and it appears to work for everyone!
The reality is that the messages we hear are amplified and blown out of proportion. But,that’s not really the point; even if the success rate is proven to be very high, it still may not be right for you, or me, or your best friend.
We need to cut ourselves, and others some slack. We don’t have to beat our heads against the wall because something should work. And we shouldn’t beat ourselves up if we decide to move on and try something else. This can apply to anything; advice on how to get the girl, techniques for dealing with depression or anxiety, staying with a job that everyone else thinks is ideal, a workout program, a nutritional plan, how to run a business, what to charge for your product, and on and on it goes.
We live in an amazing time where we have instant access to so many ideas, opinions, data, and studies, but it can also deter us at times from paying attention to some of our own ideas and opinions, and focusing on what works best for us.
Every single one of us has so many different variables in our lives, and our biological makeup, that it’s naive, and probably even irresponsible at times to put blanket statements out there; to suggest, or even explicitly say that ‘this thing’ will work for everyone.
I believe the reality is that everything will work for someone, but nothing will work for everyone.
We see and hear so much about ‘others,’ and sometimes we put too much value in their journey, and their choices. We all need to pay more attention to ourselves; to figure out what works for us, and be open to ignoring what should work.
The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique. Walt Disney
If something we try doesn’t work for us, it doesn’t work, no big deal. Or, maybe it just doesn’t work right now. We can always revisit things; maybe the timing will be right at that point.
I don’t think our core, our ‘authentic self’ changes too much throughout life, but thousands of other things in our lives do change, so it’s possible that what doesn’t work right now, will work at another time.
We need to give ourselves the freedom to experiment more in life. We don’t have to pick our life path in college and stick to it for the rest of our lives. We also don’t have to stick with our first career, even if we’ve been pursuing it for 15 or 20 years already.
Of course, everyone has a different set of circumstances, but we can at least give ourselves the right to start thinking through other options.
Let’s embrace the fact that we are each one-in-seven-billion :)
