“Everyone holds his fortune in his own hands, like a sculptor the raw material he will fashion into a figure. But it’s the same with that type of artistic activity as with all others: We are merely born with the capability to do it. The skill to mould the material into what we want must be learned and attentively cultivated.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
No two humans are the same. We are all different in many ways; our genetics, our parents, and our upbringing. This diversity means that we each have something unique about about us as a result of the differences in our coding and life experiences.
Throughout our lives this uniqueness is often progressively beaten out of us by others – through our parents, school and on the job. Industry likes us all to be homogeneous and predictable. The culture supports those who “fit in”.
Think back on your positive childhood experiences what you were attracted to… You were in a state of flow and things seemed effortless.
What unique interests and qualities stand out? What could you spend hours doing?
Then the disappointment… Dreams crushed as you were made to fit in. Somewhere along the way you stopped listening to that voice in your head. Instead you chose to make others happy. Maybe you became a lawyer to please your parents but reading and writing contracts all day doesn’t actually light your fire.
How have the things you used to get excited about been squashed over the years?
The tragedy is that this uniqueness was your superpower. Something you could draw on to do your most fulfilling work and be a great service to the world.
Hope is not lost. You can always turn back towards your uniqueness. A great strength is buried within you. You must find a way to nurture it and create some space for growth.
Robert Greene introduces this idea in his book “Mastery” and expands in greater detail.
Take some action to reclaim your uniqueness:
- Start listening and get to know yourself.
- Find that voice which is telling you what makes you unique.
- Make a list of what stands out.
- Pick something to reintroduce back into your world.
- Pay attention. See if you notice a difference in your creative output and relationships.
Celebrate your uniqueness.
