Are you driving your life under the influence?

It’s possible that you’ve been driving your life under the influence — not of alcohol or drugs, but of outside influences that are steering you away from your true path.

When you let outside influences drive your life, it’s like being behind the wheel after a few drinks — you might feel happy and carefree at first, but eventually you’ll either crash or get pulled over by the cops to realize you’re in deep trouble. Then you wake up one morning feeling like you’re stuck in a place you don’t want to be, or like your life is heading in a direction you didn’t intend.

Until you stop binge-consuming, your life’s under the influence!

Until you change the people you hang around with, your life’s under the influence!

Until you take responsibility for your own decisions, your life’s under the influence!

Influencers, influencers everywhere!

Speaking of influence, the term has taken on a new meaning in our digital age. We often hear about social media influencers who have amassed large followings and can sway their audience’s opinions and behaviors.

I’m curious where the term “influencer” came from?

• If I ask a doctor what they do, they may say they heal people, they treat people, they diagnose illnesses, etc.
• If I ask a teacher what they do, they’ll say they teach people, they empower future generations, etc.
• If I ask influencers what you do as an influencer, would they say “influence people?” Probably not. I mean how would they feel saying that? How would I feel hearing that? Haven’t we all rebelled as teenagers wanting to break free from the influence of school, clergy, parents, peers, society? Why would anyone want to influence others then?

Trainers train, coaches coach, healers heal, chefs cook, artists create, programmers code, musicians perform, designers design, scientists research, therapists counsel, consultants advise, entrepreneurs innovate, and so on. What do influencers do? I’m sure many of them bring value to society and help people somehow. Why not choose a more appropriate “label” then?

Let’s phase out the term “influencer!”

The term “influencer” has started to imply a level of authority or credibility that is often not earned or deserved. I believe the term “influencer” is problematic and should be phased out. Instead of calling themselves influencers, people should focus on creating valuable and authentic content that truly resonates with their audience. Maybe call themselves “experimenter”, “researcher”, “strategist” — get creative! If you can’t, ask yourself, what value am I bringing to the community? How am I helping others?

How does your content serve to improve the lives of your audience?

Here are several alternative ways for influencers to describe themselves without using the term “influencer:”

• Fashion influencer → Style curator, fashion enthusiast, fashionista, fashion blogger, fashion trendsetter
• Fitness influencer → Wellness motivator, fitness buff, fitness coach, fitness trainer
• Well-being or selfcare influencer → Wellness enthusiast, wellness coach, selfcare advocate, holistic health enthusiast, wellness junkie
• Food influencer → Foodie, culinary explorer, food blogger, food critic
• Travel influencer → Adventure seeker, travel buff, adventurer, world explorer
• Tech influencer → Tech analyst, app reviewer, tech junkie
• Beauty influencer → Beauty advisor, beauty product reviewer, Beauty aficionado, beauty product explorer
• Productivity influencer → Efficiency consultant, productivity strategy consultant, productivity app hunter

The aim is to move away from the term “influencer” and focus on creating content that truly adds value to the audience, rather than just trying to sell products or gain followers.

There’s no escape from influence

We can’t escape from being influenced because we don’t live in a vacuum — that’s why they say you’re the average of the people around you. Yet we can and should be conscious of who and what we’re surrounded with.

In today’s world, it seems like everyone is following an influencer or two (or fifty) on social media. From makeup tutorials to fitness tips, influencers are everywhere, and their followers are willing to do anything they say. But have you ever stopped to think about what following influencers really means? Spoiler alert: it means living by analogy, which can be limiting at times and may lead to false assumptions and flawed reasoning.

You are the product of your environment. Choose what is influencing you wisely!

Living by analogy vs living by first principles

Living by analogy means that you’re comparing your life to someone else’s and trying to copy what they’re doing. While this can be useful in some situations, like when you’re learning a new skill or trying to solve a problem, it’s not always the best approach.

Here are some consequences of living by analogy:

You lose your sense of self

When you’re constantly trying to be like someone else, it’s easy to forget who you really are. You start to dress like them, talk like them, and even think like them. You might think you’re just “inspired” by your favorite influencer, but in reality, you’re losing your own identity. You might even become a clone of someone else — do you want that?

You’re not living your own life

When you’re constantly following someone else’s lead, are you really living your own life? It’s as if you’re simply following a routine without truly experiencing things in your own unique way. Even if you think you’re happy, are you reaching your full potential? You could be missing out on things that only you can experience because you’re always following someone else’s lead.

You’re not learning anything new

When you’re living by analogy, are you really learning anything new? If you’re just copying what someone else is doing, are you developing your own skills or knowledge? Are you expanding your horizons? Most probably not. You’re just staying in your comfort zone and following someone else’s lead. That’s great if that’s how you want to live. But are you sure you won’t have regrets in the future?

You start spending money on random things

Influencers are known for their love of products, and if you’re following them, you might start doing the same.

Have you ever found yourself buying an NFT or other trendy item simply because a social media personality claimed that you would regret it if you didn’t get it now?

Or maybe you’re spending all your hard-earned cash on pricey beauty products, digital gadgets, and apps that influencers have recommended, promising to make you look as cool as they do?

Let’s face it — these purchases likely won’t bring the same results as they did for the influencer, and it can be tough to resist the pressure to keep up with the latest trends.

Take responsibility for your own decisions

So, what’s the solution?

While living by analogy can be tempting, it’s not always the best approach. To break free from this cycle, try living by first principles instead.

First principles thinking is the idea of breaking down complex problems or situations into their fundamental components and working from there. Instead of relying on what others are doing or have done, you can start with what you know to be true and build from there.

When deciding whether to follow someone’s advice, use first principles.

• Ask if what they shared in a post is true? Then ask again if it’s really true?
• Check if they’re a trained expert or just a social media personality.
• Ask yourself if their advice aligns with your specific needs and goals.

Before anything else, it’s important to take time to get to know yourself. Reflect on what you want in life before being influenced by external sources or seeking advice from others.

It’s easy to get caught up in the world of social media and bombard your brain with information, but taking a moment to reflect on your own thoughts and feelings can help you make more authentic decisions.

Gaining clarity around what you’re dealing with before researching “solutions” puts you in charge of your life decisions. You’ll have the power to make informed choices that align with your needs and values, instead of blindly following what others are saying or doing.
In conclusion, to take control of your life decisions and live a life with no regrets, try living by first principles:

• Instead of blindly following influencers on social media, evaluate their expertise and the evidence behind their claims.
• Consider your own personal needs and goals before seeking advice from others.

By doing so, you can make more informed decisions and cultivate your own unique perspective and approach, rather than simply copying others.

It’s time to take back control of our own lives and minimize external influence.

• Let’s focus on creating meaningful connections and experiences, rather than just chasing likes and followers.
• Become fellows not followers.
• Become supporters not influencers.
• Let’s start living our lives for ourselves, not for the approval of others.
• Let’s stop driving our lives under the influence and start taking control of the wheel.

Be the change you want to see in your life and in the world!