All too often we tend to use the lives of other people as our gauge to living and even success. We tend to pin the extremism of their materialism on our vision board of what success looks like instead of what our success looks like to us. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others because their approach to their goals and their access to resources may be clearly different from what’s available to us.
So take what you have, use it, and even revamp it if you have to. But whatever and however you do it, always do your best, look your best, and be your best. You represent you.
Standardized – used or accepted as normal or average – offering up the same ole thing, conformity, uncompromised, expected, and conditioned is what many people look for in you. How do we step out of the shadows of the lackluster norm to excel with unwavering courage?
I recently read a headline of an article that I refused to read. It stated that Steph Curry, one of the all-time greatest basketball players with the Golden State Warriors, ruined the game of basketball because he disrupted it. What the hell, I thought. Did they know first of all that Steph Curry was not a first pick draft, but seventh? Did they know that even though his father was a great NBA player with the Charlotte Hornets, he surpassed what his father achieved in the game of basketball? He didn’t get to be a multiple MVP in the game just because of his name, but he practiced basketball relentlessly so he wouldn’t just be good, or sort of alright, but great at what he could do? Did they know that he didn’t have the height that most basketball players had, just like Mugsy Bogues from the original Charlotte Hornets who was only 5’3″ and changed the perspective of expectations regarding the standards in the game of basketball? Steph Curry changed the dynamics in playing the game, not for what others expected, but the way he found to play exceptionally. He colored outside the lines. Yes, I am a huge Stephen Curry fan.
Yes, we live by rules and regulations, but not to denigrate our ability, capability, or potential. Don’t be afraid or intimidated to go beyond the horizon, and exceed expectations by imagining the impossible, daring to be different, and saying, “I am Possible, Unlimited, and Unique!” We can’t stay in a place of confinement and limitations, going nowhere, and expect to grow. Others may “naysay,” but you respond with “yaysay!”
Listen, we all know that people are quick to give you unsolicited advice and tell you how they think or not think you should do something they are incapable of doing. They cry, “That is not the way it should be done. Color in the lines, and don’t deviate from that.” But how fulfilling is that for you? How claustrophobic do you feel if you were to look like clones of everyone else, which only shortchanges your potential? I challenge you to color outside the lines. Create with energy, courage, and boldness. Dare to soar to heights you never imagined or thought possible. Dare to allow your colors to bleed outside the lines of confinement.
When I saw this quote, I couldn’t contain myself and just had to share this with you. At some given point in our lives, we are going to feel weird, whether it’s about the way we stand out from the crowd, our level of intelligence, or the way we do things unstandardized, unique, and bold. Sometimes people can be cruel and scathing when they stand face to face with someone different from them. Don’t allow anyone to make you feel inferior, when they are the ones with insecurity issues. If you aren’t doing anything that is creating mass destruction, then that’s their problem, not yours.
What kind of weird are you?
Wonderful Educated Imaginative OR Revolutionary Dynamic
Wicked Envious Imbecile Rebellious Destructive
It is all right if the world thinks you’re weird. Everyone is different, so everyone is weird in someone’s eyes. Happily weird or miserably weird. Your choice.-Sadhguru
Recently we saw coverage about the muddled, failed demolition of the former Affiliated Computer Services building in Dallas. The failed demolition left a portion of the building still erected and tilting, which locals dubbed with the nickname the “Leaning Tower of Dallas.” This became the trending joke on the social circuits, and the tower became a prime photo op for merrymakers. Even the wrecking balls do not seem to be making a tremendous dent on bringing down the rest of the stubborn structure.
From a personal standpoint, however, a spiritual, mental and emotional implosion can be debilitating, devastating as well as destructive. Often we aren’t even aware that we’ve been implanted by the external explosives that can corrupt every aspect of strength, stability, and awareness of our “I,” our inner being. When our spirits are scorched, singed and sliced with the shrapnel of spiritual explosives that were detonated and designed to destroy our imagination, inventiveness, innovation, intelligence, individuality, and our ideals, it leaves us impotent, impoverished, infected, irrelevant, irresponsible, ignorant and imprisoned by those cleverly crafted and calculated vices.
After the dust settles and the rubble of your existence is eradicated, who you are and what virtues you stood for can become extinct. You become damaged goods or no goods at all. Don’t allow yourself to be led to worthlessness by ignoring the demolitionists trying to demolish your conversation, character, and conduct and then send you into a tailspin and state of anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, ignorance, intimidation, extinction or indifference. You have the power to extinguish their wick and take back your power of “I.” 🔥🧯🚒
It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and while in some cases that may be true, imitation can also take on a dark and deceitful side. Society has a remarkable way of shape-shifting us into what it wants us to be. These images are oftentimes blurred and become distorted beyond recognition.
When you look in the mirror, who are you? Do you see you or yourself as someone else? Do you find yourself sliding in the driver’s seat after adopting ownership of something characteristically foreign, and possibly degrading or dehumanizing?
Things that sometimes pop up as subliminal coercions to seduce us into a fantastical imagery of suggesting what we think we really want, often materializes into an illusion of entrapment and a nightmare we can’t wake up from.
Our successes will not be the same as others. Our failures will be different. Our tragedies will not be equivalent to those of others. Our dreams, hopes and futures are separate, but not equal.
We cannot define our lives based on the public display of hype that amounts to something less meaningful than we think. This does not mean we can’t look, be and do our best at all times. You simply need to avoid comparing yourself with others, and be the best YOU, because no one else can do it like you do.
From Behind the Pen 