The most successful people I’ve known have this trait: the willingness to challenge mainstream ideas. This has been the key to everything good in my life too. For example, I changed my health and drastically reduced my carbon footprint when I stopped eating like everyone else around me and became vegan; and simplified my life when I stopped believing what the majority of people believe: buying stuff makes you happier, more secure, look better in the eyes of others, etc.
This isn’t a post to brag - it’s to share what I believe is a real key to life: the willingness to think differently than most people. It means you have to be willing to question what most people do and tell you. It means you have to have the courage to try something different. It means you have to be brave enough to stand out from the crowd and not take the safe route.Most people take the safe route, because they’re afraid of being different and failing. If you do nothing amazing and you go with the crowd, you don’t look stupid. But then you miss out on the amazing. If you never stand out from the crowd, you will always be average. And that’s fine… but the people who stand out are the ones who make a mark, who innovate and discover, who learn the freedom of exploration and invention.
And yet, most people play it safe:
Most people go to school and then college because that’s what everyone else does. They don’t know what they really want to do, so why not take the traditional route? And that’s fine, but it’s good to look into other options.
Most people get a job and stick to it because that’s the traditional way to make a living. Others might be a solo entrepreneur or start a small business, and dare to create something new and live a life they’re passionate about.
Most people eat meat and dairy and eggs because that’s how they were brought up, and eating differently is weird and unthinkable. “I love my ribs too much!” But then you miss out on a whole world of healthy, delicious food and the opportunity to change the planet and help reduce one of the cruelest things our society has ever done.
These are just some examples. Our need to play it safe turns up in every part of our lives.
When you hear an idea that’s different than what you’re used to, pause. Instead of rejecting it outright, consider it - is there some merit? What are the arguments, the evidence? Let go of the emotions that come up, the defensiveness. When I mention the cruelty in meat and eggs and dairy and leather and wool (even “humanely” raised animal products), for example, people become defensive and angry. They cover their eyes and ears, so they can go on doing what feels comfortable. They lash out and attack. And yet, if you set aside those emotions, and look at the arguments, you might learn to think differently - and that applies to all ideas, not just veganism.
When you are told this is the way to do things, take a second look. Is this really the best way? Are there other possibilities? If no one has thought of them, can you?
Just because an idea is different, don’t just accept it. Look at the bulk of the evidence, and learn to spot flaws in reasoning. For example, there is a school of thought that believes that soy is bad for you, saturated fat (animal fat) is good for you, we should all drink raw milk, and slather butter on everything (the Weston A. Price Foundation). This is different than mainstream science, but it’s wrong. The bulk of the evidence is against what they believe, and their reasoning is wrong.
Test out different ideas. Just because most people don’t do it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. They might all be wrong, and this might be better. No better way to find out than to test it. If it’s not a good idea, drop it and move on.
Learn to be proud of your ability to test things people traditionally believe in, and not to worry so much if you stand out. In fact, learn to see standing out as good - not just to stand out, but to forge new ground, to challenge ideas, to express your individual voice rather than blending in.
