Today I’m going to open with a quote from Richard Montanez.
“As much as I wanted to fit in, I was never created to fit in. We were all created to stand out.” If you don’t know who Richard Montanez is, he’s the creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (with his wife’s encouragement) and now owns a $2 billion a year company. My next “aha” from the Global Leadership Summit came from him.
We were created uniquely to stand out. What does that mean?
Personally, I would buy things like clothes and purses that I couldn’t afford (and didn’t even like) to feel accepted. All I accomplished was to stay in the poverty line and continue to feel the need to fit in. After hearing what Richard had to say, I now understand the advantage of being an outlier. Shedding the need to fit in gives you so much freedom!
I also decided to “fish in a different pond” a few years ago and connect (remember Henry Cloud?) with people who are smarter than me. Instead of feeling intimidated, I drew ideas from them. So the question you have to ask yourself is…
“Are you hungry for a change in your life?”
I hope by reading this you will be inspired, encouraged and reminded that who you are matters. Be hungry for a change in your life instead of trying to “buy” your way into acceptance. Avoid people who discourage you. Instead, surround yourself with those who are encouraging. They will help you develop your leadership skills. Richard learned this from the hood where he grew up. He also learned from women and believes that when God created women, he was showing off. I agree!!
If you have people who can help you, take advantage of it. If you need help emerging from poverty to prosperity, let’s talk. I’ve been there and can show you how I’ve made the change.