March Madness is a tough subject around these parts, with so many somber Syracuse fans amongst us. Yet, I can’t stop myself from using this crazy, wacky, unpredictable basketball tournament as the topic for this article. Due to the large number of upsets, the only people winning their bracket challenges this year are those that took “foolish” risks – the entrants that went against “conventional wisdom”. Can you use this strategy to succeed elsewhere too? Absolutely.
People generally enjoy reading and following conventional advice that is thought to be tried and true. If you follow the “smart but safe” road, you are pretty darn likely to have a decent amount of success. When filling out your March Madness bracket, following the “experts” will probably allow you to beat 75% of your competitors. Good, right? Yes, but not great. To win it all, you must think the unthinkable and predict the unpredictable. You must risk facing failure and ridicule if your “foolish” predictions come crashing down.
I once took a huge risk some would consider foolish – and it ended in “failure”. As a high school senior, I decided to accept a golf scholarship at a small, unknown university, rather than giving up golf and choosing the top academic institution on my list. After 3 years of playing collegiate golf, I realized my dream of making it on the PGA Tour would never materialize. To be honest, it was an extreme long-shot from the beginning. But, you know what? Even after failing, I wouldn’t dare trade the memories and lessons learned from the experience.
What about you? Are you willing to take a huge risk that might pay off big? Are you willing to pick the 15-seed over the 2-seed every once in a while? It would be hypocritical of me to suggest the “big idea” that only you should come up with – but what the heck, I’ll do it anyway. Here are a few pieces of conventional wisdom that might lead to success…if flipped entirely upside down.
You must write a blog.
Maybe instead of writing a blog, you decide to create a weekly “TV show” on YouTube. Or you record a podcast series, like this one from Taylor Marek. Or you take your expertise and teach a free class at your local community center. Or…?
You must use Twitter and Facebook.
Maybe instead of participating in the big social networks you decide to create your own niche community on Ning, or on a site that you create entirely from scratch. You might meet 50 people instead of 5,000, but maybe one of them changes your life in an unexpected way.
You must go to college.
OK, now we are really getting crazy. What amazing thing could you accomplish in the 4+ years it takes to graduate college? I don’t know, and I wouldn’t be willing to take this risk. But someone is – and they will be wildly successful as a result.
The list goes on and on. Keep in mind, conventional wisdom is conventional for a reason…it works for most people. But, if you aren’t “most people”, maybe you can reject the standard path and blaze your own trail of glory. Have you already taken a huge risk? Are you thinking about it? Shout it out in the comments below.
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Ryan Rancatore takes foolish risks and fails all the time at Personal Branding 101. Connect with Ryan on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, and share your foolishness on a daily basis.
Photo credit, Gavin’s Goods.
