Have you ever noticed that the people who seem to make the greatest advances in their fields are not the ones who conform? They’re not your average Joe or Jolene. Somehow, they stand out from the crowd, even before their noteriety garnered attention. Maybe not obviously, but you can tell by talking to them that they’re just…different.
People who consistently achieve share that same quality. To the majority of the world, they’re somehow different. They don’t think the same, or act the same.

What is their secret? They’ve not allowed their creativity, their uniqueness, to be stifled.

Smothering Creativity

A sad truth is that many institutions of society actively stifle and smother creativity. Large corporations, government entities don’t encourage employee’s uniqueness. Mostly, they want nice little robots that will do what they’re told, when they’re told. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this—a few.

What is so very sad is that our children are taught from a young age to conform. To be like everyone else. Follow the crowd. “Don’t stick your head up, you’ll get it chopped off!”, they’re told (admittedly not a very good example in this day and age). The point is that parents, and especially schools, are turning out millions upon millions of docile little sheep. They’re taught to do what everyone else does, be like everyone else is, like what everyone else likes, look like everyone else looks. Baaaaaaaaa!

The result of this indoctrination is that people now have a fear of being creative or unique, of being innovative. A young child tells a story and gets told to stop daydreaming. An employee sees an area of a company that could be improved and gets told to mind his own business. Shedding the sheep’s clothing is punished. Who wouldn’t develop a fear of being noticed in that kind of climate?

Stand up and be noticed!

I’ll tell you something—from the moment you made the decision to better yourself and your life, you shed the sheep suit. You are different. So do yourself a favor. Emphasize your difference. Offer your uniqueness to the world. You are unique. There is no one else in the world exactly like you, and knowing that can bring you joy every day.

Creativity involves risk. You’re not in the middle of the flock any more. Suck it up, develop some intestinal fortitude and stick your head above the crowd. Voice your opinions. Find something in the world that needs improvement and apply your creativity to it. Innovate.

Encourage your children to be different, to be creative. Nurture their uniqueness, and they will reward the world with undreamed of riches.