GROWTH ENVIRONMENT MASTERY
To Create Your Own Growth, You Must Master Your Environment First.
Key Concept #2: You Are Unique
The second key concept in mastering your external growth environment is understanding that you are unique.
Why? Your uniqueness, background, and past experiences—both positive and negative—along with your unique thought process, provide a blueprint for a distinctive perspective that only you can offer.
For many, being unique doesn’t automatically lead to a sense of self-worth, which is crucial for self-growth and development. Therefore, we’ll incorporate this statement into Key Concept #2 for mastering your growth environment: You are enough.
When we say “you are enough,” we mean that you don’t need to be like anyone else. There’s no need to compare yourself to others for personal growth. Instead, identify areas for personal development, focus on the steps necessary to reach your goals, and concentrate on becoming the best version of yourself.
Using our plant/tree analogy, with over 60,000 species, each unique, observe the diverse plant life around you. Notice the distinctions—different heights, leaf sizes, and shapes. The variety is stunning and worthy of appreciation. Similarly, like a tree in a forest or a flower in a field, you are special. Embrace Key Concept #2: Cultivate self-appreciation for who you are and who you are becoming.
If you live in the city, take a moment to look at the different types of plants and trees around you. Appreciate how each is different, yet how beautiful they all are.
You are Enough
Activity: Create a List
Use thirty seconds to write down as many types of trees, plants, or flowers as you can. Then, write down what you appreciate or like about each plant on your list.
Takeaway: Regardless of personal feelings, these plants and flowers process carbon dioxide, emit life-sustaining oxygen, and offer shade or beauty. Some provide edible fruit, while others contribute to building materials, medicines, or household items.
The key is that they all find ways to be useful, beneficial, and life-enhancing. Each is beautiful in its own way. Can you draw parallels between people and plants or trees? Do you understand the point? Reflect on how you uniquely benefit and impact others.
Most people get so caught up in looking at others and what makes them unique that they fail to take the time to identify and understand the value of their own uniqueness. From a business or professional standpoint, embracing and leveraging your unique qualities is what we refer to as personal branding.
What are the benefits of personal branding? According to an article in Forbes Magazine titled "How to Power Up Your Personal Brand by Being Unique," there are three key benefits:
1)Being unique makes you memorable. The only way to be remembered is to be different. No one will remember someone who looks like, acts like, dresses like, speaks like, works like, and thinks like everyone else. Kate Erickson of Entrepreneur on Fire explains it simply: “Being unique gives us an edge. It helps us stand out, above the noise instead of amongst it.”
You want people to remember you for who you truly are—24/7. You don’t want to be remembered or known for being someone or something you're not.
2)Being unique makes you truly appreciated.
“It’s a fact of human existence that we want to be appreciated. Humans who are appreciated work better, act better, live healthier, and thrive. We often fear being unique because we fear rejection or lack of appreciation. The reality is the opposite: When we assert our uniqueness, we are appreciated.
People appreciate bold difference-makers. There is, of course, a negative kind of 'different' — criminals and morons. However, the vast majority of the time, you won’t be criminal or moronic; you’ll just be you. And when you are, you can expect appreciation to follow.”
3) Being unique makes you valuable.
“Few people are willing to stick out their necks and be unique. When someone finally does, it creates an enormous source of value. Whatever you want to be — an entrepreneur, a thought leader, a hot job candidate, or a mover and shaker — requires that you be different. The world doesn’t need more of the same. It needs different. It needs you.” – forbes.com
Define Your Uniqueness: Personal Branding
Becoming Comfortable Being You
Embrace your identity. Recognize and accept your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation for growth.
Everyone has a unique story. Reflect on your life experiences and envision the ongoing narrative you're creating. Make it a compelling one.
Be authentic and seek genuine connections. Adapt and collaborate, but always stay true to yourself. Let go of the need for constant validation, and connect with those who appreciate you for who you truly are.
Cultivate your talents and skills. Identify your strengths and work to enhance them. Embrace continuous learning and personal development.
Develop invaluable qualities. Nurture traits like compassion, empathy, and understanding. Recognize your existing qualities, and focus on improving them to become a high-value individual in both your work and personal life.
Metacognitive Goal
For the remainder of this week, we want you to focus on two things:
First, take some time to reflect on what makes you different and unique. Use the following prompts to help create your list:
Major life experiences that have shaped you (and how).
Talents or skills you possess.
Ask friends or family members what they think makes you stand out or differ from others.
List what you believe makes you unique or different from others.
Secondly, we want you to focus on your self-branding, specifically regarding the attitudes, mindsets, qualities, and traits you possess.
For example, perhaps your brand is that you’re the person others turn to for advice and feedback. Maybe you’re known as the positive one in the group—someone who never lets anything or anyone get them down. Or maybe you’re known as the comedian, making people laugh and feel good.
You can also consider what you’re passionate about, how you want to impact those around you, or your vision for yourself and the world.
Craft your personal branding statement. Personal branding statements should be one to three sentences long. Here are some examples:
“I’m passionate about helping older people find purpose in everyday life. I’m patient, respectful, and have been told I’m a great listener. I enjoy learning from older people who have a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom to share.”
“I’m a musician, working towards becoming a professional recording artist. I’m upbeat and my music reflects that. I enjoy laughing and being around those who have a positive vibe like mine.”
“I break things, but only to figure out what makes them tick. I’m hyper-curious, always asking the questions: what, how, and why. I want to invent the next big thing that no one has even imagined yet.”
“I’m very independent. Some say I’m stubborn, but I’d say I’m determined. When I set my mind to something, I get it done. I want to use my superpower of focus to accomplish something great in the medical field.”
“Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from.”
– Jodie Foster