eBusiness Weekly
Arthur Marara
There are three things that determine your value if you are an employee;
First: The type of job you do
Second: How well you do it
Third: the ease with which you can be replaced.
You see the above criteria speaks to your business as well. If you want to thrive and succeed in your business, you need to make a commitment to be rare and different. What makes you stand out? Why should people come and give you their money?
The quality of service you give should be rare and different. It is not available anywhere, you render a memorable experience. The quality of delivery is mind-blowing, it is rare. People retain you for your uniqueness and they release you for similarity. If everyone is the same, it means there is little thinking going on. It also means someone is unnecessary.
Dare to be rare
This starts with a decision to step out of the common and leave a footprint. Leave commonly travelled paths and do something that many people would not ordinarily do. Be rare! A diamond is expensive because it is rare. You do not find it anywhere, it is rare.
“Never be afraid to tread the path alone. Know which is your path and follow it wherever it may lead you; do not feel you have to follow in someone else’s footsteps.” (Eileen Caddy). There is a unique assignment for each and every one of us on this planet. I am pursuing mine as I am writing this article and going around the country and region inspiring people. The temptation many people fall into is to take the easy way out and neglect to discover themselves and their paths. I want to challenge you to step out of the common, and do the unforgettable.
Stop looking for precedents
Law school introduced me to something called ‘precedent’ as a source of law. In other words, when making your arguments you must be able to refer the court to a similar decided case for authority. If there is no previous case, we often call it ‘unprecedented’. How exciting to find a precedent! You do not have to stress to think much about a principle and not to do a lot of research as well.
You might not be a lawyer but I think this is what many people are doing. We look so much for precedents of what other people have done. We want to do what has been done before. We are simply looking for existing templates, and just take things as they are. We don’t want to experiment — we don’t want to fail. We often think if no one has done it, then it’s not capable of being done. Those who are accustomed to the common will never have a date and dine with history.
Ignore the facts, set your record
In my search for ‘wild people’ as a matter of fact I do search for these people as I enjoy seeing people defy world records. I met a name of someone you might even know, Felix Baumgartner.
He is an Austrian skydiver, daredevil and BASE jumper. What is his claim to fame? He is best known for jumping to Earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere on 14 October 2012.
Doing so, he set world records at that time for skydiving an estimated 39 km (24 mi), reaching an estimated top speed of 1,357.64 km/h (843.6 mph), or Mach 1.25. He became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power relative to the surface on his descent. He broke skydiving records for exit altitude, vertical freefall distance without drogue, and vertical speed without drogue.
How did he do it?
Partnerships — he had good partnership, Red bull which has sponsored many world record breaking attempts. Find people who are passionate about what you want to do.
Mentoring – he was mentored by the world record holder. Who mentors you? Who do you listen to?
Choose the right mentors.
Be willing to take the leap
WWE has an advert which says, “it is not the size of the leap that’s important but the willingness to take it.” You have to be willing to take the leap, to get out of the familiar and do the unfamiliar.
Be hungry
Refuse to be satisfied, be hungry. Be grateful for what you have, but remain hungry for better. A crocodile becomes vulnerable soon after feeding. When it is hungry, it is ferocious and unforgiving. Stay hungry in your quest for excellence.
Keep the focus, and go for your goals. History has always associated itself with people who are sick and tired of the status quo and are thirsty and passionate of grabbing tomorrow. Every breakthrough that has seen the light of the day is and was a product of people who felt uncomfortable with the common and set forth to accomplish the unusual.
Interrupt the routine
Most people find solace in the veil of doing the common yet they are within the reach of the uncommon which will certainly place and fit them in the four corners of history making.
There is no excuse for living a life of mediocrity simply because that is the common thing in your background, in your religion or in your family. Any person who made history and significant contribution in the history of mankind had to step out of the common way of doing things and embark on an uncommon way of doing things.
Arthur Marara is a corporate law attorney, keynote speaker, corporate and personal branding speaker commanding the stage with his delightful humour, raw energy, and wealth of life experiences. He is a financial wellness expert and is passionate about addressing the issues of wellness, strategy and personal and professional development. Arthur is the author of “Toys for Adults” a thought provoking book on entrepreneurship, and “No one is Coming” a book that seeks to equip leaders to take charge. Send your feedback to [email protected] or Visit his website www.arthurmarara.com or contact him on WhatsApp: +263780055152 or call +263772467255.
