We all want to feel special. The moment we were born, our parents pampered us with all we wanted and gave us their full divided attention in order to raise us as the brightest most wonderful people in the world.

When a child is born, you give it all you got not just because it needs love and care to survive, but because you are putting an investment down, paying thousands for it’s insurance, to clothing that they’ll shrink out of in a few months, Pre-K, amusement parks, candy, toys and toys and toys and more toys and junk that is really just money down the drain.

In essence, having a child isn’t really an investment yet rich people still have many of them.

Why?

Because life is more than just money. Sure, the more children you have, the luckier you will be with your chances in possibly having one of them turn into the next Bezos and support the rest of the family but even if that doesn’t happen, having a family is part of being human.

As we’ve witnessed during this pandemic, we cannot survive without support, human touch and feeling connected to one another.

We need each other to hold close to and be around in order to survive. There’s nothing wrong with not having children, being an only child and never choosing to marry are many routes successful people take. You do you but just remember, in those circumstances, expect to feel more lonely simply by being more alone which means it is more vital for those folks to initiate closer ties to those around them in order to keep them sane.

According to various medical studies, the birth rate this year has been stagnant and declining, even in China where the one-child policy has been banned since 2015 and it’s the only economy that has gotten back to pre-Covid levels, the Chinese still have seen a shortage of an average of 300k births that usually happens at the start of the new year.

I’m pretty shocked about this. People quickly wanted to escape and move into a larger property not following the cardinal rule of taking the time to buy a home when WFH was transitioning at the start of the pandemic, but with all this spent time at home and together with your loved ones in a bubble, no more babies were produced?

Is this a sign of the times that less = more?

There’s no doubt that having more kids means you will have more responsibilities, payments, headaches and all of the hassle that for some reason, parents don’t always consider. They get enthralled with the excitement of having a baby, similar to day trading but they don’t realize how expensive it is in the long run. Most people end up blaming others for their problems but it’s all in your control.

You are in control of more than you think. From producing babies to getting that prized internship position, you can always get around it your way because there’s no 1 way to do things. Especially if you are looking to stand out.

The Reason

Most people want to become famous until they realize its not all glitz and glam, it’s more like invasion of privacy, paparazzi, theft and too much exposure. We believe the grass is greener on the other side, attempting to Keep Up With The Joneses because we need validation to stay up to date with trends.

Standing out shouldn’t be about validation, instead about being there for yourself.

See if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t be there for others.

It’s a two way street. People emulate off of one another when they see you are doing something you truly love.

Sure you can fake it till you make it but it will eventually filter through.

To become viral, famous or popular, if you really want it, which I don’t recommend for the sole reason since you haven’t tried it, doesn’t take as much work as you think.

Being yourself is easier said than done but that’s what it takes through consistent practice and patience. If you try too hard, nothing will work.

So let’s uncover practical steps that can get you to wherever you may want to be in life. Whether it is to achieve that superficial status you are looking for on TikTok or find better people in your life, here are tips that have lead me to stand out on my own:

It’s a Feeling Not An Image

Everyone has to design and perform on their own stage in life. You are your biggest cheerleader and worst critic. You have to choose one and roll with it. If you aren’t willing to do that, then it will be incredibly hard for you and almost impossible to stand out. It all stars from the inside.

Just like the quality of your mind = the quality of your life, your feelings are all encapsulated in there.

Make an impact with your inner circle, don’t overextend your network.

Multitasking never works, in fact it is virtually impossible to do 2 things at the same time besides cleaning the kitchen and listening to a podcast or chewing gum and writing this. These tasks use two different parts of your brain which can help rewire it and become stronger, but if you are doing an English and Math assignment at once, expect to spend more time on each individually later.

To save yourself time, mental energy and hassle, focus on less.

Less = More.

I don’t count how many friends I have and if I did, I would have far less than you may think.

I can’t even think of 20 of my close pals and that’s exactly what you want to strive for.

The more items you own, the more you have to take care of.
The more people you are with, although that might lead to other opportunities down the road, it probably won’t unless you stay in constant contact with all of them and never ask for anything in return, which is almost impossible as people are greedy.

Small = Mighty

Don’t try to be trendy or viral, just live and produce.

Consume less and produce more.

We consume more information in a day than our ancestors did in the 1800’s throughout their whole lives.

How do you expect to come up with anything solid or special if you are constantly looking at what others have produced?

To spark real creativity, take a walk, be in nature, figure out yourself, try CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for mental, self-awarness and take break. When you’re not trying hard, that’s when the best ideas come to life.

Sure others can lend you a hand but too much content is never a good thing.

Moderation is key, especially with snacks.

What do you enjoy the most?

Take money out of the picture. It shouldn’t cross your mind. First figure out what you enjoy doing, then find others to do it with, scale it and the produce it. Let others take apart in the fun to grow it further. If money is an issue, produce several side hustles but if it’s the main reason you do something, that’s a problem since it won’t last.

Quit now if money is the main incentive.

Everyone is on this earth to do something great. Everyone is given an equal chance when they are born and don’t know what they are up to. It might not feel like it if you are raised in a poor country with a neglected family as opposed to one that bought and cheated your way through everything, but down the line, your family can’t do everything for you and you will eventually be on your own. The earlier you can step up and take that initiative to rewire your brain about what life is really about, then you will find success before any of the trust fund, president babies.

Don’t try too hard, just practice the right way, have a trustworthy, supportive group and truly find the love for what you do.