Following the rules is overrated. When you consider how vast the world is and how uniquely individual every person within it is, it doesn’t make sense that one set of rules can fit the majority. So, why are so many of us still trying to follow the path of what we think we should be doing, instead of what is best for ourselves as individuals? When it comes to making your mark in the world combined with having enough money to pay for the basics, the pressure of how you should be doing business versus what works best for you don’t always go hand in hand. It’s time to start thinking about making careers that suit our lifestyles rather than trying to follow the rules. Here are some thoughts from me on how you can reach financial flexibility and a work/life balance by thinking outside of the box.
Photo Credit: Daniel Cheung @ Unsplash
Traditional education isn’t always the best route
For me, I was taught that the only route to career success was good grades at GCSE, A Levels and then University. But when the majority of the country are doing the same thing, what is there to make you stand out from the crowd? Unless you’re training for something very specific like to become a Doctor or Lawyer, it’s not always a necessary step. Some of the World’s most successful people didn’t go to University, some of them didn’t even graduate High School, so why are we so often set traditional education as a stepping stone?
You can learn anything if you care about it enough
Remember books? They contain information, I’d forgotten about books I must admit and I also hadn’t fully embraced the amount of knowledge on the internet (especially YouTube) until recently. Re-learning how to learn has been a turning point for me. If you care about doing something enough you can find the resources and time to learn it. Even 30 minutes a day can be incredible at helping you master a new skill or test something that might lead to a genius business or project idea. Never stop teaching yourself stuff. Got some downtime? Swap a Netflix binge for a YouTube research hour every once in a while and you’ll be amazed at what you will discover.
Where you live could be holding you back
We can’t control where we were born or where we grow up, so why should we let this hold us back from discovering another way to live? Yes, there’s some complicated paperwork and political stuff going on that can pose difficulties, but if you can see a different city, town, village or country better suits your needs, it’s often worth pushing through for. Yes, the majority of your chosen industry might be based in London, but then you’re competing with the majority, what would happen if you moved somewhere where your chosen industry hasn’t kicked off yet? You could become a trendsetter or discover a new niche for yourself.
Stop worrying about what other people think
It’s so easy to be influenced by those around us; friends, family, celebrities, bloggers or even characters on a TV show you watched when you were 10. Sometimes it’s worth taking a step back and considering if all of this outside influence is actually working out for you? Do you want to be doing what they say or is your gut telling you something else? Is your desire to conform to what you think you should be doing, distracting you from what might actually make you, as an individual happy? If you are, it’s time to rethink your priorities and start being your own person.
Thinking outside the box is what creates original and amazing ideas. You can find clues to success in the footsteps of people who have inspired you, but it’s also important to stay true to yourself as well. Stop following rules, cherry pick your influences and make your own rules instead. For more content like this stay tuned to @KitschInc on social media or check out Jayne’s career and blog tips on CMK.
Co-Creator @wearefoodscouts & @KitschInc. Digital Marketing & Creative Direction. Illustration, writing, creativity & style. Fan of films, TV, cartoons, colourful hair & clean beauty. Blogger since 2009.
