‘Different’ changes…
It’s often easier to go along with everyone else’s
view. It’s less risky to just
agree, conform, and to even transform
our approach to align with theirs.
That way we don’t disrupt or cause a stir.
But we don’t change
much either…
Being “our own person” and staying true to “who we are on the inside” sounds simple,
but it isn’t very easy. We’re often
fearful that if we speak up too much; if we allow ourselves to become overly
passionate about any given topic, we won’t be accepted.
Moreover, we think if we’re too different from “them”, or if we veer too
far away from their views, we
certainly will never get ahead; personally nor professionally.
That may be true today…in this conversation…in this email…in
this presentation… in this meeting...or in this job…when it's unpopular...but what about
tomorrow? Being different today may very well change things, paving the way for a better future.
Different changes, introduced at inopportune times (and for most, ‘change’ of any kind almost
always feels like it comes at inopportune times), are hard for the masses
to accept, let alone to navigate all the implications of how the dominos will
fall if/when the changes become the new norm. Change is hard for people and it’s scary.
I contend, however, that ‘DIFFERENT’ CHANGES…the future.
Whether it’s having a different thought, approaching things
differently, or just simply being
different…positive change is often the result, going forward.
In 1861 when Abraham Lincoln took office as President of the
United States, he was different. His style. His words. His
approach. Even his views and
beliefs…they were different than the masses’. Because he was so different, he eventually changed the course of history and saved
the soul of America - when in 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment was finally passed
and adopted, slavery was abolished for evermore in this country.
Was he different? Definitely. And because he was different,
the course of our nation’s history was changed for the better.
I’m not suggesting that we can all change the course of
history, nor do I think we can all change the world by simply being different. However, just think of the potential opportunities
we all have to:
·
Change someone’s perspective with our out of the
ordinary idea
·
Add a little levity to otherwise mundane
situations, just by being “us”
·
Enhance someone’s experience, by treating them differently than others do
·
Inspire a coworker to never give up on their
dream, by merely sharing ours
·
Turn a negative into a positive, by simply
thinking about it differently
·
Roll with the flow and laugh it off, when
everyone else lashes out
·
Encourage and model contentment among the
discontented group
On second thought…maybe we CAN change the world, OneMoreStep at a time, just by stepping up,
stepping out, and taking pride in being
different.
‘Different’
changes…maybe not today…but with time, ‘different’
changes our thoughts, which changes our actions, which changes people
around us, which eventually changes the world…for the better. That’s what the OneMoreStepRevolution
is all about.
Have a great day.
Taylor
Different changes…for the road
·
In the Broadway musical, ‘Wicked’, Elphie (“the Wicked Witch of the West”) was very
different...she was peculiar…she was GREEN! Yet “because Glinda knew her…” she was “changed for good”.
·
Walt’s original ideas for “Oswald the Lucky
Rabbit” and “Mortimer Mouse” were met with some different thoughts and feedback…different
thoughts and approaches that eventually led him to create our pal, Mickey
Mouse. What if Lillian (Walt’s
wife) didn’t share her different
point of view? Can you imagine a
world without Mickey? How
boring. How sad…
·
Steve Jobs had some different thoughts about full length animated motion pictures AND
personal computing. Because he was
different, we have inspirational Disney·Pixar
movies that capture our hearts, minds, and emotions. We can also do things that twenty years ago, we could only
dream of doing with devices like i-phones, i-pads, Macs, etc.
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