"Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact. And that is everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it-you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use."
This quote by Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is profound.
Break it down. Someone, a person, created everything we have in this world. A person invented the wheel. The Wright Brothers believed in the concept of flight when the experts did not. They didn't have any unique degrees.
They suffered physically from different ailments and had a very sick mother. Wilbur Wright didn't even finish High School.
Someone created the phone, and then other people bettered the design. Phones became mobile. Wagons became horse-drawn carriages before turning into cars.
Tablets and computers. Someone created desks, tables, and chairs. Then others improved on the concepts.
Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison speculated on the concept of sending images across wires. Sending images across wires became television.
Various others began adding their input which led to eventual black-and-white television and then to color television. Now we play videos on our phones and send them. People created skyscrapers and buildings—people like you.
The renegades push the envelope shoving humanity forward in technology and culture. People stand against what is with a vision others cannot fathom or imagine.
Your creations don't have to be earth-shattering. A simple blog post can inspire one person who, in turn, can inspire ten others. Those ten can spread inspiration further.
When you listen to motivational speakers and many prominent celebrities, they will cite a person, event, or function that inspired them to pursue their chosen life: an artist, a speaker, a business owner, or a friend.
This simple blog may inspire someone somewhere. Or not. We won't know until I release this post. I'm not a Maverick, and writing isn't my strongest trait. I wasn't born to write, but writers, bloggers, and even personalities who don't write inspired me to try. Some are pushing the envelope. Others are renegades in their own life, pushing themselves beyond what they believed possible.
How can you change your world?
Here are three things that have helped me immensely.
Be Confident to Take a Stand
Mahatma Gandhi was a young trial lawyer in India. He was terrified at the prospect of public speaking and even, allegedly, threw up after his first court appearance. Interestingly enough, he became known for his public speaking and became the face of a movement.
It began with taking a stand. Within the subject of independence and civil rights, Gandhi found his voice.
He was confident in what he was doing. Others may have pushed back and told him not to rock the boat. If you have an idea or a dream, then go for it. Be confident enough to stand up for it and work toward it. Not everyone will understand because it is your dream.
People didn't like Amazon books. Amazon committed to digital books. They are still here, and bookstores fight to survive. Many people hated Elvis and implored him to change his performances. He believed in the freedom of expression and became an icon. He inspired countless thousands to get into the music industry.
It starts with confidence.
Learn the Rules, Stretch Them
Image credit: Mark Duffel on Unsplash
To think outside of the box to redefine industries, you need to know where the edges of the box are. What are the accepted principles in the area you seek to change?
What is normal? What is common?
Rules are great because they give you insight into what people are thinking and how they'll behave. For example, there are specific rules about standing in line. You know everyone waits in line, and cutting is socially unacceptable. You know most people are busy and would rather not wait in line, so you create an app that allows you to order.
You don't know the order, but you no longer have a line.
Taxi cabs dominated the ride share market. You had to have a license to operate a taxi cab in the big cities. Uber and Lyft found the end around and updated an old model.
An app to order rides wherever you are made ride sharing far more convenient. Areas not often served by cabs became accessible.
Experts may tell you your idea is impossible or improbable. Unlikely to succeed. Many experts get hamstrung by the rules and fail to see beyond them. Experts didn't like the iPad. Those tablets were big iPhones without the convenience of calling.
Ipads sold 16 million units in the first month and millions more since. Tablets are so commonplace in small businesses and charities.
When Needed, Break the Rules
Earlier I discussed learning the rules and finding ways to exploit them for your benefit. The significant way renegades remake the world is by breaking the rules.
Rules are great because they create expectations you can surpass. Where there is an expectation, you have the opportunity to surprise in unique and creative ways.
It could be a business meeting and the argument "things are always done this way." There is an expectation. If you can find a way to change things and improve them, you can move the needle in a way just doing the job would never accomplish.
Airbnb broke the rules. Strangers can stay in your house when you are not there and pay you a fee like a hotel? People couldn't imagine offering to let people into their homes. Now thousands profit from it.
In the late '90s and early 2000s, Budweiser broke the mold of advertising. Most commercials of the early 2000s talked about the benefits of the product and made sure to mention and show the product frequently. Budweiser unveiled their "Whassup?!" campaign with two friends on the phone yelling the phrase to each other.
Then they say, "Nothing, chilling, drinking a Bud." And scene. That was it. Not close up of a beer can and a house full of people drinking and laughing on the couch. Just two friends. It was a sensation and went viral. People were constantly referencing this bit where ever they could.
They also had the three frogs, each saying a part of the name. That was it. It broke the established rules of advertising and was very successful.
What's Next?
No matter how many opinions you get, focus groups you run, or A/B tests you perform, sometimes the simplest things will surprise you.
The world around you, everything, was created by people just like you. People with problems and struggles. People with fears. People with dreams and skills bring them to life. They needed the renegade spirit—the tenacity of those who pushed for their vision and made it a reality.
At some point, you will have to be confident in your choices.
Learn the rules and the borders of the box. You can't think outside the box if you don't know where the box is. Once you know where the edges lie, you can push, expand and go beyond the edges of the box.
People will always say something is impossible until the first person does it. Running a mile in under four minutes until a non-professional runner named Roger Bannister did it. Once he did it, more people did it, and now a few hundred have broken the mark.
If it's impossible for others, then you have the market cornered. The Wright Brothers were told by every expert their dream of a lighter than air craft was impossible until it wasn't.
Once you know the rules and stretch them, pick an appropriate time to break them when necessary. Sometimes it may be necessary to break the rules to achieve the goal. Choose your time and approach wisely.
"Things have always been done this way" is an outdated approach. Can you do it better? Can you try something unique or risky with a substantial potential payoff? Like the coaches who call a risky play in football, if it works, they're a hero. If not, they're a villain.
Don't be afraid of risks. I spent too much time afraid of even simple risks, like writing, music, or other pursuits. Don't worry about what others will think. Take your shot first, then calibrate your approach.