Put Your “Crazy Side” to Good Use
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What makes you a little “off” could be your competitive advantage — with the right allies in place.
The Secondhand Inspiration Project begins with a motivational quote and ventures wherever the creative path meanders.
“Success is simply a matter of finding and surrounding ourselves with those open-minded and clever souls who can take our insanity and put it to good use.”
– Anita Roddick
Some successful people can be a little bit crazy.
Why? Because they often have unorthodox ideas, innovative viewpoints, higher appetites for risk, and zany approaches.
In other words, that tinge of insanity is often part of their competitive advantage.
This is not just some wacky theory. You’ve probably witnessed this at school and work, as well as in entertainment, politics, and sports. Many people who leave an indelible mark on society have a couple of screws loose. Their quirkiness sparks them to chase down goals with fierce precision that others cannot replicate.
But here is something many don’t understand about success — nobody finds it alone, not even the aforementioned weirdo visionaries.
The lone wolf, self-made person mythology that social media and the news tries to peddle is bullshit. You will need assists from others with connections and resources, or backing from those who have bought into your overall vision — even if parts of it don’t make complete sense to them at the start.
Entrepreneurs and inventors need allies to have their back while they’re risking everything to accomplish goals. Singers, actors, writers, and athletes need coaches, friends, and relatives who believe in and support their dream.
I could give more examples but the message remains the same — crazy geniuses need co-conspirators who believe in them and their ideas. People who put them in a position to succeed and offer them a shoulder to cry on. It can be a spouse, a supervisor, a parent, a committed investor, an educator, or somebody else — or perhaps multiple somebodies.
