At birth, that is what we are. No one has our DNA, nor does anyone have the same exposure, experiences, and education we have had.
Yet instead of celebrating and highlighting our uniqueness, society and other people will look for us to confirm. From the earliest ages, we are compared to others and required to reach some middle ground. Our education system does not necessarily promote creativity but encourages one to ‘do it as it is supposed to be done.’ Where would innovation and progress originate if everyone continued to behave according to the average? In Australia, they refer to the tall poppy syndrome to describe how achievements are devalued to bring one down and keep them at par with everyone else.
How we differ from others is what defines us as individuals. Instead of embracing those elements and allowing them to shine through, why are we more intent on fitting in and being accepted by others? Do you ask yourself when you were not accepted or admired by others because of something you alone are good at? Those we marvel at are because of their individuality, not their sameness.
The same applies to organizations. Do we seek out the one that is the same as all others or the one that is different in some way and adds something unique? In time, we see that those that are ‘just the same as any other disappear since they are dispensable.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost.
