The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself
But the forces that be, that want us to conform, are strong and consistent. After all, it’s an innate desire to belong, to fit in…it’s really a survival tactic. There is safety in numbers. You cover my weaknesses and I cover yours. We look out for each other.
To this end, we have been conditioned from young to behave in a certain way, to hit culturally-specific milestones, and to have the same-ish deams. To be fair, those who push us to conform, like our parents, want us to perform well within the system. So that we have a roof over our heads, a regular paycheque, and appear desirable to a desirable mate.
Is this really the life you want? Is there a fire in your belly? Do you spring up from bed in the morning? If not, read on and see what’s possible…
Chris Guillebeau, the introvert no less, is the non-conformist artist. He lives, works, and travels not the way society expects him to experience it. He’s one of the surging group of individuals rebelling against a 9-5 cubicle job to live life on their own terms. If the 9-5 gig is your thing, by all means. It’s just not for everyone and it’s important to figure out if it’s for you.
But Chris isn’t doing all this to be different. He has something to say (a lot actually) and his world domination quest is to change the world for the better, by living his life his way and helping others, through the spirit of generosity, to live their lives.
Imagine a world where we are all empowered to express our unique talents and emboldened to live our dreams?
What would happen if we all questioned the current assumptions? If we stood up to be heard and counted. If we knew we mattered and didn’t have anything to prove.
Is it time you ask yourself some hard-hitting questions? And demand the honesty you deserve, from yourself?
Are you living life the way you thought it should be? Or are you living life the way you envisioned, dreamed, and designed it to be? Are you living at the edge of your seat, at least some of the time?
Yes, it’s a simple idea. Simple, but not necessarily easy if you are entangled in a lifestyle that is attractive and pays the bills (or more) and you have kids to put through college and a retirement fund to fund.
But it is possible. Even if you start small, starting at all is the key.
And knowing that the choice is ours to make. There is always a choice. And choosing hope over fear, love over hate, adventure over routine, remarkable over the usual…. makes for a more amazing existence.
You don’t have to be an adrenaline-junkie, if that’s not your thing. We’re not writing a bucket list here. It’s about doing things that interest you. It’s about living life consciously, not on auto-pilot. Ultimately it’s a journey to self-knowledge because you find out little tidbits about yourself when you question the assumptions, when you want more, when you seek fulfillment. You find yourself in all this. It’s both the end-goal and the journey.
So what are your action steps? What changes can you make to reconnect yourself to your dreams? Are you ready to be your own superhero?
inspired by Chris Guillebeau
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