should be celebrated, not despised.

Who am I?

What do I uniquely bring to this world?

Why do I believe I was bestowed with the unique characteristics that I have?

How do I go about maximizing my uniqueness to make the large impact I want to make?

I often wrestle with these questions.

I read a post the other day that talked about understanding the difference between opportunity and distraction is what will help you determine your long term success.

When I reflected on the post, I came to the realization that what may seem like an opportunity to you, may be a distraction to me. And what may seem like a distraction to you, is an opportunity to me.

Why?

Because you and I are unique.

The tricky part of all this... ?

If you are like me, over the course of your life you have let other people determine what is considered an "opportunity" or "distraction" for you.

Classic example that I have seen in so many movies before...

Art school is a distraction, Med/Engineering school is an opportunity.

When the reality is...

Both are opportunities to DIFFERENT types of people.

Why can't society accept that?

Let's stick in this lane.

Art school WOULD HAVE been a distraction to me.

Engineering school was the opportunity for me.

I love systems.

I have an obsession for them.

Yet as I graduated and moved into my career...

I realized that the engineering path was a distraction for me, while a more creative and "artsy" path was the opportunity.

Why?

Because a lot of creative types struggle with systems and scaling their "art."

BOOM!

My uniqueness now had a lane in which it could serve.

I hope you are still following. 😊

The point of this message is for you to reflect on your own uniqueness and not only accept it, but to BE CONFIDENT IN IT.

Who are you?

What do you uniquely bring to this world?

Why do you believe you were bestowed with the unique characteristics that you have?

How do you go about maximizing your uniqueness to make the large impact you want to make?

Ponder on this today.

And at the end of this message, what comes to mind for me, is this famous quote by Howard Thurman.

Come alive through your own uniqueness!

#thriveon

CJ

p.s. today I am grateful for my friends and family who have not only supported the unique things about me, they have encouraged them.