Why You Must Stand Out From the Pack

“Unless you are willing to invest personal effort to change, grow, and separate yourself from the pack – why should any company that desires to create distinction allow you to survive as their employee?”  – Scott McKain 

As the industrial revolution began to take hold, schools and universities began to raise up students to be good factory workers. Workers that could work the line doing the same task over and over. Every minute, every hour, every day, every year the same task, over and over. Sadly, for the most part, our education is still designed this way. As dutiful parents we often press our kids to get great grades to get into a great college to get a great j-o-b.

 I think deep down we really know this is not the best way live our lives. It probably is not even the best way to find a fulfilling career. I know a lot of blogs focus on raising up independent entrepreneurs. However, let’s be honest, not everyone will be an entrepreneur and that is OK.

 Whether you choose to find a job working for someone else or decide to strike out on your own, your greatest success will be found when you stand out from the pack. (Tweet This)  You need to set yourself apart from all the faithful factory workers.

“Whatever you are be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

 So will you be willing to come out of the pack?

•  Embrace risk  – To be outside the pack means you are vulnerable. You are easy to spot. No longer are you able to blend in and hide. Whatever you do, good or bad, excellent or poor it gets noticed.
•  Invest in yourself – you are important. No matter what career path you choose no one is going to care more about your success than yourself. You will need to make the daily investments in your growth.
• Always learning – no it never stops. What are you reading, what classes are you taking?
• Challenge yourself – They day you quit pressing yourself to move beyond where you are is the day you start dying. – If you are comfortable with life, you are in trouble.
• Do more than is required – If you work for someone else and you only do the minimum, the minimum is all you will ever get. And you will only get that as long as the company decides to keep you around.
• Invest in others – this one may seem odd but it is important. If you look at the most successful people, those that were the most holistically successful in all aspects of their life, you will find that they invested in others. They were mentors and coaches. They gave themselves away not looking for anything in return. They didn’t get paid for it. Sure there is a place to get paid to be coach of but this is not what I am talking about. It is when you give yourself away you find your greatest success. (Tweet This)
  
•  Invest in your health – No matter what you do you are your greatest asset – so take care of yourself every single day.

 “Make each day your masterpiece.” Joshua Wooden (father of John Wooden)

 So how will you stand out from the pack?

Lincoln and Wooden quotes are both found in, The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn

photo credit: North American Wolf_Nuka via photopin (license)

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About the Author: Jon Stallings

I am enthusiastic about helping others discover their purpose and grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus. It is great to see their eyes light up at their “Ah Ha!” moment when they discover they were created for something more. My hope is that this blog will help encourage and inspire you along your way. Join the conversation and take the time to share with me your own story. I have been married to my beautiful wife Janice for over 30 years. We currently live in McDonough Georgia with our daughter. Our two boys have left the nest and we have two wonderful grand kids. Of course we cannot forget about our dog Bear.