Leadership Thought #206 – Be A Non-Conformist When It Comes To Leading A Meaningful Life
When it comes to your life, I highly encourage you to be a non-conformist. Carve out your own path! You should worry less about what other people think. Instead, focus on living a meaningful life – whatever that means to you. Too many people simply plug into a system. They do what they think they are supposed to do without regard for how it makes them feel. Constantly bombarded with messages praising consumerism, they believe that the acquisition of material goods will be their just reward and make them happier. Unfortunately, life doesn’t really work out this way.
A life devoid of passion, meaning, and a genuine sense of contribution is a tragedy. Sadly, our society is no longer good at creating models you would want to be a part of. Many of our traditional systems are breaking down. They are rife with greed, dysfunction, disproportionate power dynamics, and hypocrisy.
Personally, I believe this is why so many people are on some type of medication to deal with their unhappiness. It sometimes feels like there is no longer anywhere to turn to feel connected to something bigger and more important than you are. Once the journey becomes about self-gratification and the pursuit of “things” over all else, it is destined to be a disappointment. We often mistake power and fame for significance and personal responsibility, which can lead to serious consequences.
Everyone should engage in some level of self-reflection on a consistent basis. There are many ways to do this, including prayer, meditation, journaling, confiding in close friends, reading books that inspire you, and finding quiet moments throughout the day to reflect. I know people who do the “mirror test” and ask themselves every morning if they are becoming who they want to be.
Many people I know latch on to spiritual, religious, or self-help movements to help them find meaning in the “busyness” and confusion of day-to-day existence. This can be a good thing, but be cautious about who you follow and pay attention to their actions as much as their words. Relying on others for answers to life’s big questions can only get you so far.
The problem with conforming to the “rat race” or any other prescribed system of living is that, over time, it usually takes you further and further away from the destination you should be targeting. For example, delayed gratification is an intriguing concept. Some level of self-sacrifice and patience is certainly required in life, but you must get the timing right and ensure that what you think you want is truly what you want and worth the cost. Once the time is spent, it is irretrievable. I know quite a few individuals who wish they could have “do-overs” in their lives and bemoan the lack of time they have to make things right.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to suggest you be an anarchist or hedonist and do whatever you want, no matter the consequences. There are some basic rules that are required in civil society. For example, your gain or benefit should not come at the expense of someone else. Your actions should certainly not harm other people, unless they are in self-defense (and in most cases, even this is debatable). If you have children, you need to be a responsible parent and consider their needs as equally important as your own. Life is supposed to be a win-win proposition for all involved. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
However, you can be a good boss, parent, spouse, sibling, friend, and citizen, and do work that is meaningful and important to you. It’s important that you identify and cultivate your unique talents and abilities and use them. You should have personal interests or hobbies outside of work that bring you joy and fulfilment. Properly maintained mutually beneficial relationships will lead to a rich and fulfilling life. You don’t have to settle for a life of quiet desperation and hope that one day, things will change. The future is now, and the sooner you start living the life you want (and need) and stop boxing yourself in and conforming to a system that isn’t really working for you, the happier you will be.
Related articles
- Soul-sustaining happiness (psychologytoday.com)
- How to be Happy (mediumsworld.wordpress.com)
- Meaningful Life (onepowerfulword.wordpress.com)
- Book Review: The Art of Non-Conformity (LearnThis.ca)
- Pushing Boundaries (joyofspa.com)
- Have Faith In Yourself (capacity-building.com)
- What I Think About…Non-Conformity (georgemichaeln.wordpress.com)
- Paint yourself with abandon! (alanwiessner.com)
