EVERYONE IS DOING IT SO IT MUST BE RIGHT...

Have you ever met someone who sets a course in life based on how many others are doing the same thing?  Rather than identifying problems, investigating their root cause and acting to resolve them they tend to take the path of least resistance and “go where others are going” or focus on the “wrongs” of others so their questionable actions seem much more “right.”  While much of the current unrest within our country is rooted in systemic issues that have gone unchecked for years, it is being exacerbated by the underlying “crowd mentality” that tends to sweep up anyone in its path and carry them along because everyone else is doing it so it must be OK.  Be it TOTAL isolation taken to the point of being debilitating because of the COVID-19 issue or potential racial inequity that has boiled up from a very real and specific incident, people tend to move towards what others are doing and it occasionally moves us into uncharted waters when it comes to social interactions.

The travesty in life is that far too many people diminish their potential by following the crowd.  They do what is popular rather than standing strong on their own values, judgments and decisions.  They choose acceptance by the majority rather than the criticism that standing alone often brings.  They accept the stagnation of “what is” as being what always will be rather that seeking the opportunities of “what could be” and moving towards that objective in a constructive and well planned manner.  Their mantra might be “I am no different than anyone else” rather than “I am a unique individual whose potential is limited only by my own actions and behaviors” or “I must be overly cautious to remain safe” rather than “Be safe but practical.”  Too many live their lives based on a presumption of "equality" rather than "equity."  Everyone IS different as each of us have been given different gifts, talents and abilities.  It is up to each individual to leverage those attributes if they wish to fully realize their own potential.

Following the crowd is easy – you do what others accept, go where others are going, act as others act and find a sense of community by blending in.  Only when one recognizes and acknowledges that much can come from seeking a different reality than that chosen by the crowd will he or she begin to realize that loss can become gain, failure can breed success, and the decision to stop can be the impetus to move forward towards new objectives rather than signaling the end of their journeys.  Followers of a crowd tend to accept the group’s vision as a final destination adapting the way the group thinks and acts as the only acceptable way to get there.  Individuals having confidence in themselves envision a future built upon the foundation of their dreams and take practical steps towards the realization of those thoughts and considerations – sometimes accepting they might end up taking one step backwards for every two they move ahead..

Had Fulton listened to “common wisdom” he may never have invented the steam engine.  Would the Wright brothers have launched their dreams to fly like birds had “the crowd” determined the path they should follow?  Is our nation stronger and more stable because our leaders make decisions based on polls that measure what the majority think they should do – taking the more acceptable route rather than seeking potentially unpopular counsel?  Are we better to be TOTALLY sheltered from the COVID-19 virus by staying at home for the past 3 months or might it have been better to be safe by protecting the most vulnerable rather than blanketing the entire population (which potentially has caused a long term financial and economic impact)?  Might we be in a better place if our leaders simply acted to bring the promises made to the people (regardless of their party affiliation, race, sex or other difference) that they “ran on” when elected rather than saying one thing and doing another when in a position to actually do something?  Doing what has always been done OR is being done by the majority is not necessarily the “right” or best way to go.  Consideration should be given to what has been done in the past while looking at the results of those actions in the present but that does not mean what has been done should always be done in the future.

What might YOU be able to accomplish – what potential might you be able to realize – if you “marched to your own drummer” rather than listening to the tunes sung by others?  Make the most of your individuality in whatever you may say or do – for while many people try to be something or someone they are not, there is only one you in the world – do not lose yourself in the identity of a crowd when you can (and will) be so much more by discovering AND being yourself in whatever you choose to say or do.