Life Lesson #006: Don’t try to fit into a box
This is just a kind reminder
Don’t try to fit into a box.
Don’t pretend to be less. Be kind. Be curious. Be yourself.
– Anna Cieśnik
A few years ago, my boss asked me a simple, yet loaded question: “Why can’t you be like others?”
At that time, the answer was obvious to me: Why would I? I didn’t want to be.
The “others” were compliant, unquestioning, and seemed to follow a well-known old path.
I was curious. I wanted to question the status quo (or at least understand the WHY behind the process), to make things better for the team and the people we served.
It seems that my boss saw me in one of two ways back then:
- either as a workhorse - who could pull the heavy weight of the project,
- or a racehorse - who would always be focused on winning the next race.
But I was neither. I was a unicorn 🦄 - as my closest friends described me.
I could do both things, but I was bored over time very soon.
I had my own unique set of skills and a different perspective. Trying to be a horse in a field of horses would have meant hiding my unique strengths for too long, starving my curiosity, and ultimately hurting my authenticity and my health.
(P.S. This is a picture made by my daughter)
The magic of being a unicorn is not about being a mythical creature, it’s about embracing what makes you different. It’s about recognizing that your unique set of skills is your most powerful asset.
My lesson to you is this: Don’t pretend to be less than you are, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Don’t let anyone force you into a box. It will hurt you and the people around you at some point in time.
Instead:
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Question the status quo. If you see a better way, try to ask WHY, why NOT?
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Embrace your magic skills. What makes you different is what makes you valuable. You could see solutions that others don’t.
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Be authentic to yourself. Your genuine self is your biggest strength. Ignoring it will make you sick.
Discover your skills and use them. Be curious. Learn. Create. And be yourself again.
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