Live Your Own Life, Break From The Herd. How to Follow yourself

moo, Moo, MOOO! Its time you live your own life.  But you might ask, “How to follow yourself?”

We have all been in a herd of people before, either when leaving a sporting event, exiting a movie, or shopping during the Christmas season.  Have you ever just wanted to push your way to the front when you were in a herd of people? Did you feel helpless just walking at the same pace as everyone else, not being able to see what’s in front of you?

If you don’t like being in a pack of people, I hope this article will change your mindset from following to leading.  It’s time you live your own life.  Starting now!

Let’s take a look at cattle for an example. Cattle like to be a part of a herd. It gives them a sense of security.  When cattle move, they always move as a herd. And once they are moving, it is hard to stop or turn the herd. The group develops a mind of its own. The direction and thinking that takes place in a herd is done by only a few of the cattle, and those cattle are always on the outside edges of the herd.

If the cattle are headed toward hidden danger, there is very little chance that the direction of the herd can be changed soon enough for everyone to survive. The entire herd will be in trouble before they realize it. The  cattle that will be able to avoid danger, will be the individual thinkers on the outside edges of the herd.

Rather than follow the group into danger, the edge cattle will break away. The cattle which leave will be scolded by other cattle for leaving the herd and for taking a different path, but in the end, the rest of the herd will wish they had followed the herd thinkers.

When we think of herd mentality, we usually think of things like stock market trends,fashion,cars,music,religion,or technology.

Consider the stock market.  When the stock market crashed a few years back did everyone feel the effects? NO!  The herd leaders saw the danger coming and broke off well before the stock market crash hit.  The same thing has happened with all types of investments, trends, and opportunities.

By the time average Joe hears it’s a good time to buy in real estate, he most likely is investing at the height of the market.  When average Joe wanted to sell, because the market turned for the worst, he could not.  He paid too high to buy his home and he would take a huge loss to sell his home.  Average Joe must have been in the middle of the herd.

How do I break out of the herd mentality and become a herd of one?

You need to have enough courage to break away from the herd-mentality thinking. Following the crowd and doing what everyone else doing is hands down the worst way to live your life.  If you’re doing what everyone else is doing, you will never become a leader, an individual, or someone who wants to do something for yourself.

There are only so many hours in a day.  If you fill those hours with going with the herd, you will never achieve your goals.

Let’s take a look at some famous people who broke from the herd.

• Christopher Columbus (you know him) - People laughed at him when he told them the world is round.

•  David Edward Hughes (invented the radio) - When he told people he could transmit frequencies through the air, his friends and family put him in the mental hospital (literally!).

• Frederick W. Smith (started FedEx) - He received a “C” for his paper at Yale on overnight delivery.  He stared FedEx and now is worth $2.1 billion dollars

And the list goes on.  Do you think these famous people were made fun of, ridiculed, or lost friends?  Did others stare at them or whisper about them (or even whisper in front of them!) when they made their break from the herd? Oh, yes, they did!  But, if they had not broken away from the herd, would we be reaping the benefits from their insights, inventions, or companies?  No, we would not!

Every single day, someone breaks from the herd.  When is your time?  When will you break from the herd and run alone for a while?

When will you become one of the thinkers instead of followers?  It will not be easy.  You might be made fun of, but who cares.  Once others hear about your stories, your successes, and your fortune, they will be inspired to try to become like you.

Quick steps to break from the herd

• Find your reason to leave the herd.  Maybe you want to try a new activity, take up a new hobby, or become an amazing piano player.

-   No matter what your motivation is, write it down.  Put it on your night stand, on the bathroom mirror, tape it to your steering wheel.  The more you see it, the more you want to be it.

• Stop talking to friends, family, or co-workers who don’t believe you can reach your dream.

-   Breaking from the herd and reaching your goal will take time.  Time is hard to come by especially if you have a full time job and family to deal with.  To find extra time you need to push people away who will not believe in your goal with you.  It’s going to be tough to push away loved ones, but once they are out of your way you will have a clear mind, more focus, and reach your goal.

• Proclaim your goal publicly.

-There is a young man named Corey Wadden.  He started a blog called “Millionaire by 25“.  He went on his iPhone and said he wanted to become a millionaire in two years.  He put that on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.  Talk about a guy who put himself out on the line.   Corey Wadden is not afraid to put his name and goal out in public.   Be like Corey and proclaim your goal to anyone who listens.  Once you do you will have nothing to hide and only results will show.