How to Be Different (8 tips from me, a musician)
You’re probably already more unique than you realize. It’s an inevitability of being your human self. Still, it can be tricky learning how to be different with confidence and intention.
So this is my guide. These are things that help me embrace my own uniqueness.
Let’s get to it.
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Why Be Different? (benefits of standing out)
So, why is it good to be unique anyways?
I mean, what are the benefits of standing out?
(because let’s be honest, it’s not always easy)
Here are some of my favorite perks to being different and embracing your quirks:
You’re more memorable
You’re more likely to innovate
You’re more likely to inspire others
You’ll be happier and less stressed about your public image
You’ll be more competitive in your niche (nobody does you like you)
Empower your authenticity
It’s a form of personal growth and self development
Boost your confidence and self awareness
It’s fun
The Hard Part About Standing Out
Being different has a lot of benefits. But it’s not always easy.
I think One OK Rock sums things up nicely in their song “Stand Out Fit In”.
We live in a paradox where we want to stand out, but we also like to fit in. We’re balancing the desire to innovate while still having a tribe.
Then there’s the social norms and pressures to act or look a certain way.
Despite positive trends and forward progress, it can still be difficult standing out.
Here are a few more reasons why it’s difficult discovering how to be different (and learning to embrace it):
Comfort zones hold us back
Fear of failure, rejection or ridicule
Expectations
Comparison culture
Limited support or role models
Lack of confidence
How to Be Different (my 8 tips)
This list is a collection of strategies I use to better embrace my quirks.
So here’s how to be different and stand out (and love every minute of it).
1. Know Your Quirks (own your quirks)
It’s annoyingly simple, broken record advice, but just be you.
It really is a great place to start. So here are some questions worth pondering:
So who are you when you’re alone?
Do you embody a totally different version of yourself while in the comfort of your own home or room?
What are your quirks?
What traits set you apart?
What are your guilty pleasures?
What things do your friends and family point out about you?
What traits do you want to embody?
Answering these questions and doing some personal self reflection will help you identify who you are and what makes you unique.
Owning your quirks is probably the quickest way to know how you can be different.
Recommended: How to Embrace Your Weirdness
2. Create A Personal UVP Statement
Defining your UVP is a great way to add intention and focus to being different.
So what is a personal UVP, anyway?
A personal UVP (unique value proposition) is a short phrase or personal mission statement explaining what sets you apart. It’s focused and concise.
So the idea here is to create a single sentence or two that summarizes what makes you unique.
Having this level of concise clarity helps me remember how and why I stand out.
It keeps me organized and highlights my best quirks.
After all, if it helps businesses and entrepreneurs stay on track and grow a successful brand, certainly we can take advantage of things.
3. Find Your Tribe
As we talked about above, a common struggle in standing out is feeling like you don’t fit in.
Luckily, we have the internet – so rest assured, your tribe is out there.
Once you have a clearer picture of your quirks (represented by a personal UVP), you can more easily find other like-minded people.
But this doesn’t mean just finding people who have the same quirks or interests as you.
It’s more about finding people who you can confidently be yourself around.
Connecting with people who have similar interests, values and/or goals is a great starting point.
But remember the people that you’re most comfortable with and won’t judge.
4. Keep Stacking Skills
Your skill stack translates to your uniqueness.
Your individual blend of expertise, experiences and interests tends to create a unique set of abilities and knowledge.
Eventually, dots will start connecting.
You’ll find unique combinations of skills and experiences that set you apart from the rest.
This is a great way to be different and stand out.
So I guess my advice here is to keep following your interests and keep learning new things.
It’s not always obvious how things are connected (especially if you’re like me and tend to have multiple interests).
But stay the course, because hindsight, it’s 20/20.
5. Try Many Things (do many things)
Trying and doing many things creates a unique cocktail of experience and knowledge.
It’s a great way to be different.
Some things you may stick with (like learning to paint or travel) and others you may not.
But having novel experiences and taking (calculated) risks will give you great insights and boost your self awareness. It helps you stand out.
Similar to this is pushing yourself outside of comfort zones.
Growth happens outside of what we know. So getting comfortable with discomfort will make you more confident and more likely to stand out.
Define your fears, face them and challenge yourself more often.
I always try to do more and push myself beyond what I think I’m capable of.
6. Watch What Everyone Else Is Doing (+ add your spin)
When everyone is doing the same thing, it’s helpful to pause, step back and consider how you could do things differently.
Imagine this like a canvas, where everyone is painting in hues of blue.
But then you come in with a splash of bright orange or pink.
Of course, this is easier said than done.
But still, it’s worth observing your niche and considering how you could add your own splash of color.
Consider your unique talents, experience, interests or knowledge. How can you add your own unique layer, angle or twist.
Combine different disciplines or interests. Use your skills in unique ways and applications.
For example, you could buy an old camera from the 90s, film some footage and use AI to edit. You could then turn the whole process into a YouTube video.
This concept is tapping into trends, but putting a unique spin on things.
It’s a cool idea too. I can see the YouTube video title now:
“Welp, That Was Unexpected…(Using A 30-year Old Camera + AI)”
And if you’re struggling with brainstorming, you could always ask ChatGPT for some ideas.
7. Create An Alter Ego
Creating an alter ego is fun. It’s also a popular strategy for artists and performers.
An alter ego is like a sidecar personality or persona of someone you’d like to embody.
It’s especially helpful if you struggle with creative confidence or prefer to do things anonymously.
To start, you can consider your goals and create a list of ideal characteristics you'd like to embody.
Then you can get into character and start practicing your new alter ego.
I see this whole process as sort of like method acting.
It’s fun and it’s creative.
8. Don’t Care
Some of my best work comes when I’m not caring and just having fun.
It’s all too easy to lose focus and feel stressed about meeting personal goals or not being up to snuff with other creators.
So in these moments, I try to hit the reset button and get back to a play-like mindset.
Embrace your inner child and ignore the noise.
Again, easier said than done – but step one is awareness.
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