No two individuals live the same life in complete unison and parallel. Each of us have our own story, our own experiences, our own challenges, obstacles and accomplishments. We have our own fears, goals, setbacks and successes.
The footprint of our journey is as unique as the fingerprints of our hands.
Yet, so often, we attempt to mimic what we see in front of us. We copy, imitate or sometimes completely steal another person’s idea, path and brand.
The reasoning is quite simple. It is very difficult to do the work to figure out our own path and what separates us from others. It is far easier to walk down a path that is already paved or cleared for us. There is much less resistance. The problem we run into is that there is little-to-nothing which can be achieved from going down a pre-cleared course.
Imagine a magazine editor receiving 99 pitches from 99 different modeling talents wanting to be considered for the upcoming issue. Each one has said basically the same exact thing and then you are the 100th model who sends stuff in and repeats what everyone else is claiming. What are the chances you’ll be considered over anyone else?
The more we mimic what is around is the easier it is for people to ignore us. Think of the fads and trends we see within our own industry and how many rush to attempt to cash in on those trends. The more that rush in – the less interest there is overall. Imagine 30 people rushing to one table with food – how long until there is no food left for anyone?
So, in the effort of approaching your career efforts with originality – what truly makes you, you?
James Patrick
jamespatrick.com
instagram @jpatrickphoto
