Photo Courtesy of Mike Baird
Almost the entire world relies on experts. We listen to experts talking about our economy, our health, our businesses, and everything else. They say what can or can’t be done and why. They give their “expert” opinion and many people change their life because of it. We blindly follow these opinionated experts and I’m here to say it makes no sense.
We cherish the “wisdom” and “insight” of the experts, yet they are usually wrong. Do you remember when the mainstream media experts considered blogging a joke? They considered it unprofessional, biased, and just plain amateur. Now, they’re tripping over themselves to participate in what the novices started.
Novices are changing the world and the old-school experts don’t know what to do about it. So, are you ready to join us on the fringes?
Novices and New Success
Novices are becoming more successful and have more influence. They are going to further change traditional business and there is nothing people can do about it. The internet and blogging gives everyone a voice and if you’re not participating, good! They don’t want to use your success for their gain anyway.
Now, change every “they” above to “we” because we are going to fuel this change and become the new success.
We change the way people think because we have innovative / non-conventional ideas. While we don’t have years of experience, we don’t have what Chip and Dan Heath call the “curse of knowledge.” We are not stuck in our ways and we are dying to find new ways of doing business.
But what can we do to become successful novices? How can we join the revolution?
Challenge the Experts
If you are looking to become successful, you need to do exactly what the experts say can’t be done. Just find out what they think is impossible and do it.
Seth Godin, Chris Sharma, and Rock Climbing
When I was reading Seth Godin’s Tribes, he talked about rock climbing. The right way to climb rocks was by keeping two limbs on the wall at anytime. It was safe, accepted, and supposedly the right way to do it.
At least that’s what all the experts said.
Then, a man named Chris Sharma changed the way people climbed rocks. Instead of holding onto the wall, he jumps. Impossible rock formations became possible. Just imagine if he listened to the experts.
Comic Books and Business Plans
One of my friends had to write a business plan for a college class. He chose to write one for a comic shop and presented it to a panel of experts. They said it would never work.
Take a guess what happened.
He used the business plan, started the comic book shop, and has ran it for the past 15 years. Just imagine if he listened to the experts.
Blogging and My Success
When I started blogging, I came across opposition from many family members. They didn’t understand the internet or blogging and pushed for me to “get a real job.” They thought I was avoiding reality, but let me tell you that they sure are kicking themselves right now.
Almost everything I have right now I attribute to blogging. I bought a nice co-op with blogging money, I pay my bills with blogging money, and pretty much everything I own is a result of blogging money. Just imagine if I listened to the experts. I would have nothing.
The point is that once you get used to challenging the experts, there is nothing that can stop you. It does not matter what you do because you will be looking at the impossible and trying to solve it. You may fail along the way, but at least you’re trying and if you keep trying, you will join the newly successful.
Accept Novice Fear
Doing something new can be frightening, but it is essential to join the newly successful.
Worst Case Scenario
Just think about the worst case scenario. What would happen if you challenge what people believe to be true? What would happen if you take a stance and hold your ground? Do you really risk anything other than being guilty of expressing what you believe?
Absolutely not.
You can only wear another man’s costume for so long before you want to break free and express yourself. So, why torture yourself?
Best Case Scenario
Now, just think about the best case scenario. How would you feel if you change the world? How would you deal with the success associated with proving the impossible possible?
In a world where we have billions of people there are others who feel the same way you do. Luckily, we have the internet and you can find these people. If you are putting yourself out there and working to change the accepted norms, you will build a following. This applies to business owners, large corporations, and people since it does not matter if you’re writing a blog, selling cars, or drudging away in an office because if you are doing what you feel, you will be happy and other people will find you.
So, what I am trying to say is, you have nothing to be scared of. There are people out there just like you, or, who think the same way you do and will absolutely love what you have to say, sell, or do.
Do Something (anything)
If you aren’t doing anything, you might as well be doing nothing. If you’re not looking for a way to change or differentiate, you are sitting on a growth plateau and you will remain there forever. If you want to join the new success you need to be doing something new and making it your life.
Don’t get me wrong. You can keep a corporate job and still do something new. There are 24 hours in a day and you really don’t have to watch the news or American Idol. You need to use your time wisely and accomplish something. You need to stop being busy and start being productive.
But what can you start doing?
- You can start a blog
- You can start recording videos to Youtube
- You can start reading books
- You can start writing books
- You can start reading blogs
- You can start commenting on blogs
- You can start selling your junk on eBay
- You can start tutoring people
- You can start teaching people
- You can start learning to do your job better
- You can start reading Prevential.com regularly
- You can e-mail your favorite writers
The bottom line is you can do anything. Just start doing it, commit yourself to it, and adapt along the way because your big ideas are meaningless without action.
Start Today
You are extremely lucky to be reading this article because that means you are part of the minority. You are here looking up how to join the newly successful, which means you’re 100 steps ahead of the rest of the population. As a matter of fact, I am so happy that you are here reading this that you should e-mail me right now because I will help you get started today.
Just remember, you can’t start Step 2 until you complete Step 1. So, get to it.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
While I tend to agree with much of what you say here, I disagree with this:
“. . . If you’re not looking for a way to change or differentiate, you are sitting on a growth plateau and you will remain there forever.”
I don’t think sitting on a growth plateau means you will remain there forever. On the contrary, I think it’s important to celebrate the successes of each plateau that one comes to. To look back on the journey, to appreciate and reflect on the growth that has been the result, to take a breather and smell the roses from along the way.
Then, refreshed and reinvigorated, you are ready to look for a way to change or differentiate, a way to chart a new course of action. But if you don’t know how you’ve arrived where you are, you can’t set a chart for the future.
Plateaus are good — enjoy them, just don’t stay too long.
You know, I totally understand where you’re coming from. I think you should celebrate every one of your successes. However, you can’t rest on your laurels as you said. Just because you were successful in the past, doesn’t mean you will be successful in the future. You will have to continue to work much harder for each success after the first.
It’s a fine line between celebrating the successes and moving forward, the trick is to find that line and stay on it.
Another excellent post.
What’s the worst that can happen? You can fall flat on your face and will need to do something else. Can you live with that? Of course. Then just do it.
Totally agree. I’m new at blogging and most of my family doesn’t ‘get it’ at all — their eyes sort of glaze over and they may say ‘oh, nice.’ I recently teamed up with some fellow novices from different disciplines so that as a team we can be that much more creative and share misses and successes. As you’ve said before there’s power in ‘we’ and in listening to the fresh sometimes young minds.
I would hope people can live with failure. That is the only way you can become successful.
@SBA There definitely is power in We.
If half of the people in the history of the world had listened to the people around them who told them they could not succeed, we would not be typing on the internet, flying around in planes, driving cars, or microwaving our coffee. Obama might not be in office. Many of the key inventions of our time would not exist….now get out there and jump in!!
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