This is the time of year when results of schools and colleges begin to be released. Throughout the summer, students face a barrage of class results, entrance exam results and also news of admissions to higher institutions.
The pressure can be daunting but it is important for youngsters to know that everybody is differently gifted.
It is also important to understand and acknowledge one’s uniqueness to stand out.
Ralph Emerson’s saying, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be” is true even today. Uniqueness is what we are but also what we can plan to be. In order to stand out in a competitive world, it is important to know how to stand out.
The first step is to understand one’s strengths and weaknesses. All of us have them – however hard it may be to acknowledge them. But this will give a fair balance sheet and help to work on the strengths while trying to correct the weaknesses.
Being authentic to oneself really helps. The world can easily tell if one is being pretentious or just showing off.
Dare to be different. This may sound like a cliché but it is true that society looks up to those who think outside traditional limits of what is possible.
That does not mean that it doesn’t require work – there is no substitute to hard work but new, successful ideas are always more valued that traditional success.
Explore your creative side, knowing that creativity is more than art or music. It could be new ways of using technology, small but smart business ideas or even innovative ways of helping the community. There are no wrong ideas, just those which have not been seen through.
Broaden your horizons by exploring, reading, listening and experimenting. It may sound as if a new, unique personality may just be there to be found but that is more of an illusion.
Characters are made, and unique characters are made out of consistent, hard and strategised work.
It is not easy to stand out of the crowd. There are always fears about others’ judgment, being laughed at or criticised or just being ignored. All those fears are even sharper in today’s world of social media. But that cannot be limitation because, that way, none of us would be doing anything.
It is also important that we learn from our mistakes and actually embrace them. Every journey will not be successful but they will all be steps which can lead to success.
Try to keep good company. Our surroundings determine who we are and what we become. Being in the company of ‘glass half empty’ people is hardly very conducive to inspirational thoughts and ideas.
Deliberately reaching out, and being with friends who inspire and are positive is essential to keep good, hopeful thoughts. Again, social media plays an important part in terms of who we connect with and what groups we involve ourselves with. Fortunately, ignoring toxic sites is not very difficult.
It takes time, energy and focus to stand out in a crowd, but the efforts are worthwhile because, at the end, it creates an authentic human being.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
