Bits of Wisdom Podcast #8

“All of us are born unique, but most of us die copies.” AnonymousImagine this picture in your mind with me for a moment. A vast sea of black umbrellas extended covering the surface of a courtyard. All of the umbrellas are extended with the same shape, size, and color. Just to the right of center is one yellow umbrella amongst the sea of black. Maybe you’ve seen this picture before, but either way, it’s easy to picture the uniqueness of the solo yellow umbrella in our mind. Why? Because it is different from all the others. It stands out. What draws us to a work of art, or a character in a story, or our favorite music artist? What draws us is the way they stand out as unique in the sea of options. Something about them says, ‘You like my uniqueness.’As humans learn and grow and age, they begin to lose their uniqueness, probably mostly due to fear of not wanting to stand out, but also because the systems, cultures, and religions help shape us into copies. The ones who will truly stand out and garner interest and influence are those who can embrace their uniqueness, the gift they were given at birth.“All of us are born unique, but most of us die copies.” If this Bit of Wisdom spoke to you, share it with someone who might benefit from it. Terry Weaver is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terryweaver.substack.com/subscribe