adminpeculiarity in the formation of their skulls. They are just good in their fields of endeavour is concerned.
With exposure to all these personalities, the temptation to be another Lewis Hamilton becomes too overwhelming, the prompting to be a small Nelson Mandela, the desire to be a Joel Osteen or a Steve Jobs becomes too heavy to withstand.
As a matter of fact, at times when you do something extraordinary people are quick to equate you to someone they know. “You are just like . . . if you only practice a little more, you will become exactly like her.” Since that is all they know, they would want you to be that way.
With a lot to see and learn, your real self is under constant threat of being distorted. Your attention is being called from every direction. Resisting to imitate others in your field turns out to be a huge undertaking, being yourself becomes herculean. You look at yourself and think, “Alas, if only I were as good as that one.”
You think if you were like them you would be the best, but I have good news for you — by being yourself you are more than guaranteed to be successful. That is one incredible secret of success.
Have you ever considered the fact that insofar as you believe in God, God also believes in you? He actually believes in you more than you imagine because he understands what he invested in you.
He would not deposit all the immense potential and ability in you without a considerable amount of belief in what you are capable of. Why let him down by abandoning your calling by imitating others — the world is looking for new prospects.
Many people have tried to make it with little to no success, not because they were less talented or lacked resources. They found themselves on the slippery slope of imitation which inevitably leads to failure and despondency. If ever there is a generation in which people yearn for originality, it is this age. The world is tired of imitations. They want Fila and not Fali, Adidas not Abibas. Nike and not Mike. The imitations will not pass the test of time; such is the temptation of imitating.
In every individual are seeds of greatness and a uniqueness that cannot be imitated. Maybe you can take the reassurance from Og Mandino, “Since the beginning of time never has there been another with my mind, my heart, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth. None that came before, none that live today and none that will come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature.” What a tremendous insight!
The reason why the Apple brand has been so unique and the iPad launch generating such a great sensation was the originality in thought and implementation that has gone with it. People want to see what they have never seen. They want to hear what they have never heard before.
I encourage you to commit to be original and you will be amazed by how, in a relatively short span of time, you will find yourself standing among your peers like a giraffe in a head of field mice.
Find your line of calling and pursue it relentlessly, with a dogged determination; the trenchant zeal of a crusader and you will be amazed at how success will find itself attracted to you.
Our era offers the most exciting opportunity for those with original ideas. Of the seven billion people alive, everyone is working towards displaying unique talents and celebrating uniqueness! Success would actually become the norm rather than an exception.
If you focus on being yourself you will go for days in shock by the realisation of who you are and what you are capable of. See what you can see, learn what you can, but do not lose your unique identity.
Ozias Mucheriwa is the founder of the motivational company Motivcentre.
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