How to Handle the Pressure to Conform

Have you ever wrestled with the issue of identifying “who you truly are meant to be” versus “conforming with what everyone else is already doing?”

A few weeks ago, I was listening to Paul Evans of Nicheology in his clip called The Income Initiative. He was explaining that a big hurdle to achieving success in online business is that we too often try to conform with what others are doing in a clone-like fashion while forsaking our own unique experiences and insights.  Paul offered some practical solutions and I tuned in despite the piles of laundry that were looking at me longingly to be folded, because some days it’s dinner on the table or clean underwear in the drawer, but not both. 

Just like everyone else I have times when I need to check which drumbeat I’m following.  Paul made some points that were seemingly obvious, but the way he packaged it was clear and original.  Besides some other meaty nuggets for my business there was a take-away from his lesson which I’m able to boil down to one simple underlying truth. It is the truth that we all need to be faithful to follow the path that we are most hopeful in.  It is the direction that feels like home…your home, not everyone else’s. 

For me that means a constant gut check to make sure that I’m delivering my unique value to clients in a way that keeps my eyes focused not on being a clone of the crowds in front of me or behind me, but with my eyes up and fixed on what is good, generous and faithful.

The principle of making those gut checks is a practice that I’ve transferred over to fit in with the physical fitness training programs for my clients. I will share it in an upcoming post.

Best of Energy!

Ashley