Stepping Out of the Box

Good Morning,

Not long ago I was listening to one of Chis Tomlin’s earlier songs entitled “The Way I Was Made”. The lyrics of the chorus really struck me as I think about the clients I am trying to help move forward in life.

I want to live like there’s no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one’s around
I want to sing like nobody’s listening
Before I lay my body down

We live in a country rich in choices and possibilities that many around the world cannot even imagine. Still, with all these opportunities far too many people never explore life outside of a safe box they have created for themselves. How sad. From the moment of conception, the Creator Himself has designed into each of us personality traits, talents and proclivities in a unique mix only we possess. Yet our tendency is to try to fit in, to look like people we think are successful because we don’t want to stand out or look out of place.

Throughout history I would argue that the most successful people in the world made a point of standing out and following their dreams. Ben Franklin failed countless times. Our founding fathers went against the grain of society to the point of risking their security and their futures. Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison succeeded with many great inventions because they were not afraid of failure or public scrutiny.

People whose goal it is to play it close to the vest and conform to the norm, rarely make a big impact. They may become a success in the eyes of others, but there may well be a nagging voice inside them that says, “Come on, step out and be fully you.”

What about you? Are you hearing that same voice? Metaphorically, what would it look like for you to dance when there are people around, and sing when there are people listening? What would it look like for you to live like there is no tomorrow?... and by the way that is not guaranteed. Here is what I know. You may or may not do something so profound that others stand in amazement. You may or may not create something that changes how people do business or communicate.

But you will never be left with the deep regret of never having tried, of never having stepped out of the box and lived like you were made to live.

That alone makes it worth doing.

Don’t let conformity rob you of you.

Live this week on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein