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On Fitting In

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Lem Usita

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Society isn’t kind to those who don’t fit in.  We ostracize, we call names, we harass.  – Seth Godin in Poke the Box.

As soon as I read that, I immediately thought about some of my posts – Be Unique, but Belong.  Seth is talking about leading and poking the box, but that takes hubris and audacity.  Organizations have taught us and we’ve been conditioned to fit in.  If we’re different at all, we get made fun of, and no one wants to get made fun of.

But if you want to lead, if you want to create, and if you want to stand out, you have to be unique.  You have to challenge the status quo.  You have to rock the boat a bit.  You might have to be ostracized, but there is freedom in being true to who you are.  Inherent in Fitting In is restriction and limits.

So Be Unique, but Belong.  Be yourself, but don’t be so yourself that you’re a weirdo (unless that’s you’re true self, and I don’t believe that it is).

 

 

2 responses to “On Fitting In”

  1. MO Avatar
    MO

    Brutha, this is so true. i work with HS kids all the time and some things never change. when we were in high school we had to deal with the same stuff. i mean, now that are social networks and the like. this only amplifies all that has been going on for years. it is not worse, only “out there” for the world to see. and you are right about being a leader. i remember running for office in hs. it was crazy embarrassing knowing that you could lose – which i did once when i was a frosh. but i knew that if i wanted to be different and lead and get my ideas out there i had to get back on the horse and do it again. i did… and i won for the next three years. that is not the point. the point is that i lost and i had to make a decision. too many peeps give up and go with the crowd because they lose once or are put down once or twice. leadership takes thick skin. Lead, my friend.

    Reply
    1. Lem Usita Avatar
      Lem Usita

      That is awesome. Your comments triggers a few other ideas that I need to post.

      We lead together and we’ll get to Rome.

      Reply

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