Rebels, Misfits, Those On The Edge of Creating Courageously: Read This.

Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules…You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things…they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Think Different.
Apple
Steve Jobs
1997

I feel like I’ve never fit in to any space, or resonate with any group of people more than I do with the genre of people above. The misfits, the rebels, the ones who are skeptics of the herd. There has got to be a better way of life than this…

I see life and the world not as it is, but as it could be. Why is idealism and anger at its absence such a bad thing? Why can’t we dream of an ideal world, of a different future, and why is it so damn crazy to believe that it is changeable?

So, this (rant) is for the ones who would rather spend their time juggling ideas, creating things, and questioning the assumptions of the status quo, while understanding just how important all of it is for the development of our society.

For the ones who feel that life offers so much more room to fly, and is at the edge of going for it, running, sprinting, taking off…

To you, I say

You are a builder of the future and in some ways the future of the world we live in. The world needs your courage, your defiance, and your hungry pursuit for something better. It is time to stop waiting for permission.

I embraced “Create Courageously” as a framework for this season of my life because to me, the phrase describes what it means to create within our current place and time. Massive amounts of courage is required to put ideas and one’s creativity out into our world, and have it be seen as worthy of work (worth in their eyes at least). Therefore many of us never try, or take a really, really long time to start. But in the end, it takes courage to do it. Please do not deny us the beauty of your creativity.

The opposite of belonging isn’t isolation; it’s fitting in. I think we ought to stop giving a damn about fitting in, and instead focus on belonging to people, ideas, systems that actually mean something to us. So why the waiting?

“I tremble on the edge of a maybe,
a first time
a new thing,
a tentative start,
and the wonder of it lays its finger on my lips.“

An Excerpt from: Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder, 1984

This topic warrants immediate disclaiming in some ways because there are many challenges that come with the territory. The path feels so lonely and dark. It is filled with doubts and skeptics. Rejection isn’t usually outright, it’s typically radio silence despite your effort. The demons and darkness really suck. However, trailblazers always face resistance, otherwise it wouldn’t be called trailblazing. Every revolution (in a wide sense) began with someone daring to challenge convention. I would argue that [the tasks of challenging the status quo] is the hardest work that exists for us as humans. But I would also argue that this work is the most fulfilling one can do. It is the ONLY way we create a dynamic world.

It is the quiet resilience of dreamers and doers that shapes the world. Creativity thrives on iteration. Many iterations fail, hence why we iterate. I think there is a massive value in framing every action as an experiment. I realized that you don’t need all the answers to start. I challenge you to start when it’s messy. Start when you’re scared. But just start.

Imperfection is the way to go. Every half-assed creation is further along the path to perfection; compared to being stuck at the start line.

When you create you’re creating new potentials for new ideas, new creativity. At the very least, your work could inspire someone else to cross the chasm of action and change the world. You are not alone. I wish I encountered people who has this angst for personal revolution when I was growing up.

You’re a part of a line of creators, engineers, problem-solvers, artists, writers, and dreamers who feel the tension of internal angst and the hope for a different future. In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the “Soul of the World” is the force connecting all existence, living and non-living. It symbolizes the unity of the universe and guides individuals toward fulfilling their “Personal Legend” (life purpose). You are a part of this Spirit and Soul of the World.

There is an undercurrent of power that is supporting our efforts. Please know, you are NOT alone.

So if you dare, please create. Start by creating for the sake of creating. For you, your family, your dog. Just start. Then move into more ambitious endeavors.

If you don’t feel like you fit in, don’t try. Create a different hole.

Find out who you are, then do it on purpose.

Refuse to settle.

Refuse to conform.

Build what you dream.

Solve the impossible.

Fail forward,

and keep getting up.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.*

It belongs to you.

Now, go do it.

*Eleanor Roosevelt; a legit boss.