Skip to content

Being the Fringe

There is nobody else in the world like you. Even identical twins are not genetically the same. There are approximately 7 billion people on the planet today representing about 6% of all people who have ever lived. Doing the math, you are not that proverbial one in a million; you are one in 116 billion. Scientists disagree on the real number of possible DNA combinations needed to accidentally produce identical human beings, but most agree it is as high as 1 in 70 trillion. Now do you believe that you are unique? Disregarding the physical characteristics of “you,” considering the infinite number of options and choices that determine the events in your life it is enough to boggle the mind. You are capable of thoughts, ideas, actions, and accomplishments never before seen on the face of the Earth. Every human endeavor is a choice by someone to lead or follow; to be on the fringe of change or be sucked into normalcy and mediocrity.

When you look at uniqueness as something special, it means that within you are the seeds of change and it only needs a personal choice to become what you want to be… and you can be anything you want to be. Choosing to avoid risk means finding others willing to remain “normal” and clustering with them for protection. Choosing to find value outside of your normal orbit means leaping out of normalcy and into a fringe that makes you special. Technological innovations, musical compositions, inventions, and other creative endeavors need someone to be the spark that ignites passion in others.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s unwillingness to follow the status quo made him a change agent. The fact that he brought deep spiritualism and belief in justice into the light of day made his fringe efforts special. His message to see change and be the change is similar to the theory of psycho cybernetics where the human mind can be programmed to accomplish near miracles. Another great thinker gave us this idea:

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. – Napoleon Hill

The true positive fringe influencers have a keen focus on their objectives. Managing people or programs can be difficult without consciously deciding to find the appropriate fringe, go there, find yourself, and learn to bring others there with you. It is important to focus not just on things that people clustered about the norm think are urgent, but on things that are really important. There is never a time like the present to decide to demonstrate your uniqueness. Job seekers need to show something different about themselves or they look just like everyone else. Leaders need to focus on going the extra mile to demonstrate that a reasonable stretch to normalcy is important. Being something special means accepting the responsibility to change yourself and others around you.

So what’s keeping you? Do it! Now!

 

Exploring the Fringe

 
Image credit: bjonesphotography / 123RF Stock Photo

 

Tags: