People always ask me how they can stand out from the crowd. Here are 10 critical steps to take:
1. Ask yourself the question “How can I do this differently?” Just having the subject top of mind will lead you in the right direction. Ask yourself this question everyday!
2. Purge every aspect of copying from your being . This is tough because it’s almost second nature to benchmark best in class and apply best practices.
We have been conditioned to believe that we are better off when we follow the best in the herd . Nonsense. All we have done is temporarily change our position in it.
3. Look at what everyone else is doing then do the opposite . Amazing results are achieved by contrarian acts.
4. Learn to focus on the critical few things you need to be successful. It’s so tempting to chase the possibilities that are out there but the problem is that you are busy but ineffective in delivering quality results. DiFFERENT people are “mindlessly” focused on a few critical things that are not on anyone else’s radar.
5. Shed the “CRAP” that gets in the way of your ability to focus on your key priorities. Holding on to “comfy food” may satisfy your appetite but it won’t enable your quest to stand-out from the herd.
6. Hook up with weird people . If you’re going to seek stimulation from others, lean in to people who don’t follow the rules and have “off the wall” views.
7. Be the first to take on new projects . Covet opportunities to offer standard solutions to radical problems that have not been addressed before. Your solution to a new problem will carry the DiFFERENT tag.
8. Loosen up on planning; tighten up on execution . Most people think the value is in the plan; don’t go with them. Jump in to the messy inelegant world of implementation where results get delivered. DiFFERENT people get stuff done; they don’t sit around pondering possibilities.
9. Be imperfect (a lot). While others are seeking the impossible dream of perfection DiFFERENT people are achieving results. Get as much stuff as you can “just about right” and hit the ground running .
10. Recover when you make a mistake (and you will, that’s what execution artists do). Fix your mistake (because that’s what people expect) and surprise them with something they DON’T expect . You will be remembered for your risk taking and brilliance of recovery. Your mistake will quickly be forgotten.
There is no scientific formula to get you out of the herd of commonality but these 10 steps will do the job.
I know. They worked for me.