Do You Believe "Fitting In" Is Productive?

In every aspect of life, society is conditioned to believe that "fitting in" is the right thing, the normal thing, the accepted thing to do.

When most of us were children we would have heard the powerful message from Dr. Seuss "Why fit in, when you were born to stand out?" This is SUCH a powerful bad sadly, overlooked message.

Once children start going to school, they are made to sit still and be quiet. They are encouraged to color between the lines, and there is only one right answer. If you ask a kindergarten child what they want to be when they grow up, they have a million ideas, lots of confidence and tons of enthusiasm. As they progress through the rules of education, this slowly dwindles, until you have a young person in grade 12 that has no idea what they want to do with their lives, most have lost their confidence and enthusiasm. They have conformed like generations before them who have given in to being a cog on the production wheel....afraid to think outside the box, afraid to do anything different, afraid to not fit in to the perceived "norm".

This belief of what is normal and accepted and right is instilled in every experience, not just education. TV and other forms of media, commercials, social groups, families, friends, and neighbors. It is like society has been implanted with mind control to keep us producing what needs to be done to fuel corporations.

This may have been needed in the industrial age, however, we are not in the industrial age any longer. Unemployment and underemployment is at an all time high. Student debt is out of control. We have more "educated" young people than ever, that can only find work for minimum wage positions and can't pay their student loans. Young people are waiting longer to settle down because they can't afford to, and many are moving back in with their families in their mid twenties just to keep up with their debt.

The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over, and expecting different results. We can no longer keep "buying in" to what the perceived "experts" define as "normal". This has instilled such fear and limiting beliefs in people that are capable of so much more than they believe. It reminds me of the elephant tied to a stake story.

People believe they must work for an employer, that they "need" the security of a paycheck, benefits, etc. They have been conditioned to believe they couldn't possibly make it on their own, and most have accepted that as their truth. So many have given up and conformed to what they believe is "normal"....just like the elephant. The reality today is there is no such thing as job security. Yet people still believe they "need" corporations to provide work for them. Oprah has a powerful 2 min message on personal responsibility.

ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE YOUR LIFE FORWARD. This requires a willingness to stop buying into "conventional wisdom", and start taking full responsibility to think for yourself and to do what it takes to create success in the 21st century. Fitting in does not move you forward....we all have the capability to stand out and live into our full potential. It is a choice....a choice to stand out and be all you can be.

Debbie Ruston has been an entrepreneur and trainer since 1986. She works with individuals, and groups interested in developing their entrepreneurial leadership mindset. Was this article of value to you? Feel free to share it on your social networks and with your contacts, join in the discussion below, and FOLLOW her on the top right corner of this page.

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