It’s easy to find books on how to be an original, but they’re usually ambiguous. So, I will give you specific lessons from the book “Originals” that will help you learn what it takes to be an original.
“Originals” by Adam Grant is about people who have had some success in life and how they got there. It’s not always easy. Sometimes you need to stand up for yourself or go against the grain or do something crazy so that people know who you are. If you want something different, don’t expect it to come easily. You’re going to have to fight for it.
Here are some lessons that are important to know, which hopefully make this book worth your time.
1. Originality requires nonconformity.
Many people want to be original, but they aren’t willing to be different or go against the grain. So don’t try too hard because trying too hard will make you seem inauthentic and fake. In this book, there is a quote that says, “If you conform too much, then you’re going to be just like everyone else who’s been successful.”
So, don’t try too hard. You should be yourself and follow your path, not somebody else’s. Don’t complain about what other people are doing because that will drain you of your energy.
2. Be open to dissenters.
Focusing on the negative is never good; it’ll make you depressed all the time or cause death by a heart attack. If you are unwilling to listen to these people, then you are being unrealistic. “By dismissing dissenters as idiots or troublemakers, originality can never come from lone geniuses working in splendid isolation.”
If you want to be original, you have to listen to people who disagree with you. If somebody doesn’t like what you’re doing or says that you can do better, then they are probably right.
3. Ostracizers are necessary.
“Ostracism is the act of excluding people from a social group…we need to learn how to deal with being left out” (Grant 2017). When somebody tells you that you can’t do something or that you’re not good enough, then remember that they are trying to help you.
What I like about this book is that it contains many stories and examples from other people’s lives which makes it easy for me to understand and relate them to my own life. There are a lot of books out there that only focus on the author’s points, but this book is much different from those other books.
4. People are afraid of being wrong.
When you tell people the truth, their immediate reaction is to defend themselves by saying that they weren’t wrong or that it was somebody else’s fault. It makes them feel safe when they have an excuse for things not going well because then they don’t have to do anything about it in the future. If I’m wrong, then I should change what I’m doing because it isn’t working.
There are lots of examples throughout the book which help me understand how to be an original. One example Grant talks about is when he went to an Ivy League school and had a professor who didn’t think his students should only study the people who lived in that period. Instead, he believed that they should study the people who were important to history and impact society in a positive way.
5. Originality is about potential, not past performance.
If you’re doing well in school or your job right now, then you probably think that you can’t possibly be an original because it seems like something only other people can do. You always think that you’re not smart enough or good enough, but honestly, the only thing in the way of your success is yourself. If you’re in a situation where somebody else is doing well, and you feel like there’s no way for you to succeed in that same position, feel free to move on to something different.
6. There’s always room for you to do better.
There will never be a point in your life where you can’t improve (unless you’re perfect, and I bet even God struggles sometimes). But, the people who refuse to settle become original and successful because they want to improve themselves and accomplish more continuously. They don’t just think that they’re good enough and let their accomplishments define them.
Conclusion
The book is very inspiring and touches on many different topics such as success, failure, criticism, etc. I would recommend this book to people who have a hard time finding themselves or feel like they cannot be successful because they have always felt inferior to others.
This book has helped me realize that success doesn’t just come to you; you have to go out and get it. If you sit around doing nothing, then you won’t be able to accomplish anything. It’s the people who are willing to take risks, work hard, and keep trying who become original and successful in life.