How to Be Unique??

Being unique results when one follows his or her own identity and doesn't give in to what society preaches as the "norm." Each and every one of us is born unique, but with time, society and culture tends to shape and form our opinions, styles and way of life. However, it isn't too late to break out of the mold.

Instructions: 

1

Remain true to yourself. Nothing is as unique as your own opinion and own personality.

2

Invent your own personal style. Instead of going to the mall and local department stores, branch out to some niche boutiques or even your local thrift store. Mall-bought fashion is what everyone does. Go out on a whim and buy something different and unique.

3

Educate yourself on current issues, both locally and globally. This way, you can hold your own unique opinion when people ask how you feel about certain issues or current events.

4

Create a buzz with a new hair color or cut. Instead of getting the traditional bob, one-length hair trim or buzz cut, get a funky 'do with texturized layers. A dose of hair color or highlights can transform an average look into a very unique look.

5

Follow your heart when it comes to your hobbies or interests. So what if playing the accordion is viewed as "geeky." If that activity makes your heart sing, that can make you glow as a person and make you even more unique.

6

Release your personal insecurities. This is a key factor as to why many people conform-because they fear what others may think if they march to the beat of their own drums. Let go of the fear and embrace your own personal uniqueness.

Tips & Warnings:

In a work or school environment, you may have to sacrifice some of your own personal uniqueness in order to follow company rules for dress code and overall personal conduct. However, once that 5 p.m. whistle blows, it's up to you to unleash your inner uniqueness.

 

HOW TO BE DIFFERENT??

I don't know where you live, UK, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong or some remote town on a remote island, but I do know that whatever your age, size or lifestyle, you can stand out from the crowd, turn heads and win admirers. Anyone can do it, regardless of where they're from and where they're heading.

I'm not talking clothes, make-up and hairstyles - okay, maybe to a certain extent. What I'm really referring to is you as a person, your mannerisms, lifestyle choices and character.

Regarding appearance, if you want to be different, check out vintage, thrift and charity stores. They usually have one-off pieces that are not too way out, but will make you stand out. Choose unusual accessories. Shop in random stores and boutiques that few people have heard of. You may need to shop online if there aren't any where you live.

Remember - no one thinks completely alike so there will be aspects of your personality that are unique without you even trying. No two people look the same either - even identical twins are not completely identical. So your genetic make-up will always be unique.

When it comes to getting to know someone, simple but unusual questions are best. What's the scariest thing you've ever done? If money and circumstances were no object, where in the world would you live? What was the first record you bought? How old were you when ... you get the picture.

Big companies, in the name of branding, spend millions on market research to stand out from the crowd. You need to do the same but on a much smaller scale, and you don't need to spend a fortune. Mimic the traits of successful companies. Dare to be different. Take risks. Practice your 'customer service skills' i.e. people skills. Be kind, courteous, helpful, reliable, professional and polite. Everything you do has an influence on someone, somewhere. Build trust. Be loyal.

Finally, make unique lifestyle choices. Organise a one-of-a-kind stag or bithday party. Re-train in a field where there's a shortage i.e. priest, UFO specialist, nuclear medicine, ultrasonographer, belly dancer. Become a professional weight lifter. Drive an unusual car. Breed blue tits. Become known for a signature piece, such as hats, red lipstick or bow ties. The possibilities are endless.

Nobody will read your content unless it is exclusive.

You were meant to be different. Your online success depends it. Without something to separate you from the masses, you do not have the chance to break 200 subscribers or rake $5.

The problem is, you do not know where to begin.

Being different is difficult because there is no surefire A-B-C guide. It may be observed passively in hindsight, but it cannot be mimicked.

Being different is something you must invent yourself. It cannot be taught.

Writers achieve uniqueness by pure magic. They possess the “it” which carries them from the soiled, oily ground into clear blue sky. Their formula for success is self-invented and cannot be duplicated. If you attempted to copy their methods, your blog would die.

Online success is not a paint-by-numbers. It is not luck. It is magic. It requires talent. It requires gifts. It requires thinking. It requires a trusty keyboard and steady hands.

In order to be different and succeed, you blaze a trail in an untouched wood. You pioneer deep, turbulent waters unchartered by map and compass. You live a story so unique and thrilling that everyone is compelled to read your every word.

Remember those ads which promise, “Make $462.90 every day from home”? They lie to you. Success requires difference. You cannot follow a formula and be different. Ignore formulas. Ignore strategies. Fye and foresooth, time has come for you create real art.

And yet, and yet…

There are two basic building blocks which constitute the foundation of uniqueness. They do not guarantee difference, but difference cannot be attained without them. Let us see how well you are doing.

1. You must have a unique design

Does your blog have a design different from all others? If not, you simply are not unique enough.

I do not care if you have the best child theme from Studiopress. If your theme is unedited, it matches other blogs. If it matches other blogs, it is not different. Remember, just because it isprofessional does not mean it is different.

Here is an example. In the comments at the previous article, Stephen and I discussed how immaculate Copyblogger’s design is. Copyblogger is the best-looking site on the Internet. But what if Copyblogger were to offer their current design as a WordPress theme? Ten million people would install it and the theme would lose its uniqueness. Yes, it would be pretty as ever, but it would no longer be different.

See the drift? Your design must be different and professional. This leaves you with two options.

1. Spend a lot of time, learn how to code
2. Spend a lot of money, hire a good designer

Granted, you will find neither option very appealing. But if you truly want to take your blogging seriously, you must chose one of these resolves. If you want to be different and make money, it is unavoidable.

In order to succeed, you have to invest in yourself.

2. You must have something to say, and say it differently

Contrary to common assumption, having something to say is difficult. Unless you are Seth Godin, you cannot say something every single day.

Stop blogging so much.

Only publish content that could easily be approved as a guest post on the biggest blog in your niche. Easy? No way. Attainable? Absolutely.

I repeat. If you do not think a post would be approved on the biggest blog in your niche, do not publish it on your own blog. That is the whole reason you spend hours on each post you write. You write and rewrite until it is perfect.

But perfection is not enough. You must have more than something to say. You must say itdifferently.

This is where the magic comes in – the art. This is where all the blog posts in the world cannot help. You must go offline and write till your fingers bleed.

Unsubscribe from this blog if you must – that is the degree I value your concentration.

The process of creating art is powerful. It occurs in a mist that defies the acknowledgement of time and space. It transforms a laptop into a canvas and a writer into an ecstatic maniac.

Druggies call it getting high.

I wish I could tell you how to do this. But alas, it is impossible. Thou must learn to fly thyself. Here lies the deepest aspect of writing, the aspect nobody talks about. This separates the real writers from those wearing hockey pants.

The beauty of being different lies in the simplicity. Being different is not a 26-step algorithm requiring Einstein’s intellectual capacity. It is a combination of two rock-solid building blocks and an overdose of artistic integrity. It best occurs naturally. True difference is unforced, almost effortless. The difficulty lies in its initial achievement.

Do You Dare to Be Different?

I don’t know about you, but one of the things I’m afraid most in life is mediocrity. For me, life is too precious to be lived in mediocrity. Life is a golden opportunity, and we should use it as good as we can. Living in mediocrity means we do not use the opportunity as good as we should.

Unfortunately, many people are trapped in mediocrity. I believe one of the main reasons is they do not dare to be different. You need to be different if you want to be above the average. The question is:

Do you dare to be different?

This question might not be easy to answer, but how you answer it will make the difference between excellence and mediocrity.

Here are some more specific questions to help you check yourself and take actions:

1. Do you have a dream?

This is the first question you should ask yourself. I believe one of the main reasons people just follow the herd is they don’t have a dream. If there is nothing to pursue then why bother being different?

But a dream is what sets you above the average. Not having a dream means going to mediocrity on autopilot.

If your answer for this first question is “no” then start searching. I’m sure you have a dream deep inside of you. It might be something from your childhood. Maybe for long time you have been too busy to let the little voice of your dream be heard. This is the right time to heed that little voice.

If you have found your dream, the next question is whether or not you have the courage to follow it. Questions two through five will deal with that.

2. Are you doing what you want or what you should?

There are often implicit “rules” about what someone should do in a particular situation. For example, when there are two job opportunities, the “rule” says that you should take the one with higher pay.

But is that what you want? I mean, does it help you achieve your dream? Maybe the job with less pay will help you achieve your dream while the one with higher pay doesn’t. Do you have the courage to be different and follow your dream?

3. Do you worry more about being loved than being what you love?

Another reason why we don’t dare to be different is because we are trying to meet other people’s expectations. We often worry more about what other people say than about what matters to us. But living someone else’s life is a bad way to live your life. Why should you lose opportunity just because of what other people say?

4. Do you choose what is safe rather than what is right?

Maybe you are not trying to meet other people’s expectation. Maybe you just don’t want to take risks and therefore you choose to play safe. But this is exactly what many old people regret. When they were asked in a study about what they regretted most and what they would do differently, most of them answered: “I wish I had risked more.” Don’t let the same regret happen to you.

5. If you had only six months left to live, would you do what you are doing now?

You can only answer “yes” to this question if what you are doing matters to you. Doing what matters to you is a sure way to excellence since you will do it with all your heart. But you need the courage to be different and follow your heart. Do you have it? I hope your answer is yes. Life is too precious to be lived in mediocrity.