“Stop giving your inner critic leadership positions.”—SARK
I just ordered the book, Blue Ocean Strategy. It’s about the importance of creating new markets as opposed to squeezing yourself into a slot within the existing structure.
Since ACIM Lesson 147 is a review (My mind holds only what I think with God), I decided to rerun this post about Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi Nobel prize winner who founded Grameen Bank.
Like me, he’s on a mission to overturn the dominant paradigm.
As Yunus points out, squeezing yourself into an already-existing slot is a limited ambition.
By virtue of being human, you are innately creative, extraordinarily talented. It’s in your DNA to be a go-getter, a problem solver. Fitting into a big machine will never be as interesting and satisfying as creating your own thing.
Our culture, in case you haven’t noticed, is in the process of being rearranged. Thanks to the democratization of digital technology, anyone who wants to can create their own job. The tools are now available for all of us to be innovators, artists, inventors, entrepreneurs.
We live in a time when one person writing at the coffee shop can reach millions. We live in an era when anyone who wants can gain leverage and create a platform.
As Yusuf says, “All people are smart people. Being from a special business school doesn’t make you any smarter than anyone else.”
Right now, without securing another degree or taking another workshop, you have all the tools, all the resources you could ever need to create an insanely meaningful, productive and prosperous life.
Because here’s the thing. The world as we know it is toast. Nearly everything we counted on, invested in, believed in is, for all practical purposes, grinding to a halt. That’s why we’re seeing such dysfunction in the political realm. People who benefited from the old model are trying desperately to hang on in our rapidly changing world.
The old life plan (go to college, get a job) worked for a long time. It created jobs and wealth and lifted people out of poverty. But turns out, the American Dream, a term coined by Fannie Mae to convince two-income, post-World War II families to take out mortgages, has a Dr. Jekyll lurking in the back closet.
The only way to keep the old system chugging along is rampant consumerism. And besides, working really hard at someone else’s agenda will never satisfy our deepest needs.
But giving of our gifts will.
Any donkey can tear down a barn. But how many of us are willing to build a new barn, create a new world, an entrepreneurial world that works for all of us?
As Leo Buscaglia once said, “Without you, the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.” Your visions, your gifts, your creativity are sorely needed. I beg of you, please don’t deprive the rest of us of your unique vision.
Pam Grout is the author of 19 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her new book, Art & Soul,Reloaded: A Year-Long Apprenticeship to Summon the Muses and Ignite Your Daring, Audacious, Creative Side.
19 Responses
I will have to get the Blue Ocean Strategy book. I’m at a cross-roads with my career. I want to change and try something new, but I’m having a hard time deciding what to do. I guess it is literally time to not only “think outside the box”, but toss out the box completely.
This blog is always inspiring and lights up those dark corners. Today’s post was very meaningful to me.
Thank you, Pam!
Thank you Pam I love reading your words.
I’m well past the days of working for a living but I agree with this 100%. My son is still trying to create his own niche now that his industry was outsourced. He thought cross training or teaching himself new technologies would protect his job. The upheaval is difficult even for the younger workers. I’m giving that book a good look and maybe send it to him. Thanks for sharing this. Have a wonderfilled Memorial Day.
I am discovering that marketing sucks! That’s probably because I’m trying to fit my round awesomeness into somebody else’s square hole! Thanks for the new perspective. You rock!
I love you Pam! Thankyou for these wonderful words that are perfect for me today. I especially love the last line “…please don’t deprive the rest of us of your unique vision.” We each of us DO have something unique to offer our world and I’m finally getting the idea you’ve expressed here – that I don’t have to squeeeze myself into an already existing spot, but I can create a new market, a new pathway, a new place that’s perfect for ME! And with that new place I can give myself to the world and be an example for others to find their unique pathway too. Yay! Thankyou for your unique contribution to our world – I love it – and for inspiring each of us to make joy our mission statement and The Dude our CEO. Yeah! 😁💗✅
Fantastic and very inspiring. My industry in which I am a freelancer, has changed so much … I was lamenting it’s loss for a while but recognise I now need to reinvent myself ( I already have a plan…) All is good!
Funny how your posts all seem to come at the perfect time. My job of the last 27 years is being eliminated, I’m crushed, and yet hopeful and excited for what the future may hold. I feel I would like to have my own business, but I’m not sure what I would like to do. Praying for direction.
Thank you for your posts!
After such a long time reading this nonsense, I’ve decided to unsubscribe. These “lessons” are learning us the “contrary” of what Pam Grout tried to teach us in her book e-squared (which’s content can be found everywhere in any other book of this kind from other authors, even published before e-squared). She told us that whatever we imagine good or bad will have a positive or negative effect on our lives. She told us that we can have what we want if we only think and wish it intensively every day, every minute. With these ‘miracle’ lessons she is teaching us that whatever we think or dream of it is not true, and that we cannot do anything about it. I will continue living according to the law of attraction, I’ll dream and believe strongly in what I wish to come true. So what Pam Grout? Is this a new marketing strategy for a new book? Sorry, but I’m out.
It’s OK, you don’t have to stay here, you’re completely free 🙂 Have a wonderful blessed journey filled with your own miracles. Maybe come back someday to tell us about them ? I love reading miracle stories, they help me believe that I can get some too !
Pam–God bless you!!! I love what you’re sharing with the world and I love you Thank you SO much!!!
Thank you Pam. Wonderful words. Just what I needed. Abundant blessings to you & to us all.
Pam..Thank you for your personal insights on the course . I love reading a different perspective especially a hopeful joy filled one as I am still “seriously” trying to grasp it all lol.
I know it will all come together for me in time. I have already seen the veils lifting over my 66 years..looking forward to a more lighthearted, energetic, creative me..Grateful to be onboard💖
Linda, I am 66 too. Hugs! Welcome to laughing and playing more.
This is wonderfully insightful, and I’m so thankful to have read it today. I am in constant
need to be reminded of these things that you wrote about in this particular article. It lifts
me up and keeps my belief steadfast. From the bottom of my beating heart, thank you for
every word spoken or written; typed or thought of; and for every helping hand and friendly
gesture; uttered prayer; and expulsion of positive energy! Pam, you are a beacon in dark
places, if I asked, “Hey, got a light?” you’d give me the sunrise! Kudos.
– Mitchell
As we were lying in bed last night, my husband read to me the the title of this lesson. I said, I’m too tired to read it, I’ll wait until the morning. I woke up this morning with a dream I had about me passing out while driving my car. When I woke up, I was parked perfectly in a parking spot in front of a doctor’s office. When I went into the office, there was no one there. The rest of the dream was about my being confused and trying to figure things out. And so it is with life, things are constantly changing and we adapt to the changes.
I loved your words today and it’s just amazing how they are always the perfect ones for what is going on in my life. Thank you, Pam, for continuing this project. You continue to make ACIM fun.
Thank you so much. I really needed to hear what you said today. I will come back to it often to be reminded. Keep inspiring us daily.
Hi Pam,
Thanks for spreading hope and joy! One of my first encounters with trying out your tests to realize that what we put out can come back to us in pretty astounding ways. It was a few years ago but I think it was too start seeing beige cars. And not quite believing my abilities to get what I want, I decided that I would see a purple car. That same day, I had a dentist appointment and when I looked out the window, sure enough, a purple car drove by the window! Then there was something about seeing yellow flowers and butterflies, I think? On the way home at a set of lights was a grassy meridian I’ve been reading and believing ever since!
Could you please update me email address for me? Remove marejerzyk@gmail.com and change to my new one of: mfayjerzyk@gmail.com
Kindest regards,
Marianne Jerzyk
Marianne Jerzyk
Beautiful ❤️Amazing ❤️Love this ❤️Must never forget ❤️ Thank you Pam!!!!