Hello Friends,
Today I want to dive into a topic that I get asked about quite frequently. Over the years I have been asked this question by friends, family, coworkers, and even complete strangers. The question is always asked in a roundabout, nonchalant way, but the question is always the same.
“How does one differentiate themselves in day-to-day life and not get lost in the masses?”
Let’s face it fellas, when you blend in you get overlooked in every aspect of life… overlooked for that new promotion, overlooked by the woman you have interest in, overlooked by even your friends because you just exist, but aren’t overly interesting.
You might as well have camouflage on. You might as well not even be there. This is depressing, as it should be, but once someone recognizes this about themselves they can take the necessary steps to correct it and live a much more meaningful and successful life.
As a man, we are programmed to be providers and to be dominant. How do you expect to pull that off when you are doing what everyone else is doing? You can’t!
How can you?
Here are the 9 Habits of the Highly Unique Male:
1. Research
Did you think you were going to become unique and wise without putting in any work? Not a chance! This is your base and your most important step to catapult yourself into your new lifestyle.
We live in a time where all the information we could ever want is literally at our fingertips. You are reading this because you want a problem solved and you are seeking information! If you are just starting your journey to become unique, go overboard on this step!
Google is your friend. From expert opinions, to peer reviewed studies – find and read them. This research step should be applied to every aspect of your life – diet, fitness, fashion, automobiles, hygiene products, houseware, etc. Start with the best in each category then filter down depending on preference/budget. You will surprise yourself that you can have “the best” (or close to it) in many of these categories simply because you did not settle for what was on the shelf at the local department/grocery store. It will take a little work, but will set you apart from every other person you come in contact with. You will literally have a better or more unique version of everything compared to the next guy for either the same price or cheaper!
eCommerce is HUGE. This is the beauty of capitalism. There are so many great companies fighting for your dollar which results in you receiving the best product for the least amount of money!
2. Follow Trends
But wait, I thought we were trying to be unique and stand out? Why would I follow trends? For that exact reason my friends, so you know what NOT to do.
Those who follow trends gain only temporary notoriety or success. They ride the wave, but what happens when the wave runs out? What we are aiming for is timeless. A strategy I have used in the past is to build on en existing trend. Building on an existing trend can allow you to create something timeless. How can you take something that has already been done, yet make it so much better no one will ever want it any other way?
3. Listen to Your Elders, Mentors, and Coaches
You better believe that there have been men before you that have paved the way in every aspect of life. Do not become so self-consumed that you forget to LISTEN. Listening is very important. As I say, “Even the gurus have gurus.” You should be constantly learning and fine tuning your knowledge and lifestyle. There should not be a day that goes by that you do not hear something that grows your knowledge or challenges your current status quo.
An elder, mentor, or coach can be a family member, a friend, someone you have hired, or (thanks to technology) a blog/podcast that you tune into on a regular basis.
4. Be Nice
This will open doors for you. Most individuals only have certain types of people they get along with. Do not let yourself fall into this category. Part of what will make you unique is the fact that you get along with so many different types of people. The average person will be amazed by this simply because they are too close minded or stubborn to understand how you do it.
Having conversations with many different types of people will also allow you to learn and expand your knowledge. This is part of the listening step, you could be talking to your next mentor.
5. Take Everything You Hear with a Grain of Salt
We have talked about listening and being open to new ideas, but what about when someone is trying to feed you some straight nonsense? “Trust but verify” – the phrase made famous by Ronald Regan is definitely one to live by. Never act on information you have heard from just one individual. Research it for yourself or ask another person you trust what they think about the proclamation. Do not rush to be unique by jumping the second you hear some crazy information.
While part of being unique involves a certain amount of crazy, I like to call it “verified crazy”. This means you have “ran the numbers” so to speak. The greatest and most unique minds of all time were called crazy at first, however the only ones remembered are the ones whose theories checked out. Trust but verify my friends.
6. Pay EXTREMELY Close Attention to Detail
This is the icing on the cake, but some folks only eat the cake because of the icing. In other words, this habit could either make you or break you. Most oftentimes directing attention to the smallest detail will make all the difference in the world. Why? Because creative, smart, like-minded individuals will notice this attention to detail and be drawn to it. Incase you have not already caught on – THESE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU WANT AROUND YOU!
I’m sure you have heard the saying, “You can tell who a person is by who they choose to associate with” or some similar variation of the phrase. Attention to detail is a very big part of being unique because most people simply do not go the extra mile to make that happen. The last mile of the race is the most important, if you do not finish it, you lose. Let’s finish strong!!!
I hope this list will help jump start your journey from mediocre to extremely unique! Take this information and apply it. What you do from here is up to you. I look forward to speaking with you all again soon.
Until next time…
Keep it up,
Jet Sunvale – The Backwoods Boulevardier