My brother and I were talking recently about the impact that outlier-type experiences have on shaping your career. We’ve both had our share of unique experiences that some could only wish for, like touring with rock bands and working in movies. As we’ve both pursued and developed our professional careers, we’ve noticed that many people actually downplay these outlier experiences. I’m sure you’ve heard some famous or successful person being asked, So how did you get here? or How did you become so successful at…? Everyone wants to know their secret, and the more bizarre their experiences, the more enraptured the audience is by them.
The irony is that these outliers can be seen as liabilities by decision makers who influence the early progression of our journeys. So we tend to downplay and distance ourselves from them to appeal to the common Beige-style acceptance of general culture (until we’re “successful” in the eyes of society). As I’ve been writing and thinking about Gen Y lately, I’ve noticed more and more of these outliers that may be misunderstood by older generations. In Gen Y’s ultimate pursuit of authenticity and individualism, they’ve followed much different paths to shape their personalities and creative inspiration then Boomers did. Here are a few of the misunderstandings I’ve observed:
