The world can’t handle you being YOURSELF! So go ahead and BE it anyway!

If you look back over history, many of the remarkable people we read about in our textbooks and novels made the choice to be themselves. They made the choice to bring their gift to the world. They realized that they had something to say. Something to do. Somebody to be. They realized the world needed what they had. The world needed their gift. And they brought it. And we remember them.

People don’t realize you’re a gift until you’re gone…

I’m sitting in Starbucks with one of my nephews – Demetrice Allison. He’s 13 years old, and full of creative expression. The only problem is that he doesn’t have the proper environment to foster his creativity.

Question:

How many of us grew up with ideas and dreams and a curiosity to touch the hot stove?

It’s within all of us to express ourselves creatively. However, what typically happens is that our parents, our teachers, and society stomps it out of us. We’re placed on medication if we seem a little too abnormal or outgoing as kids. We’re told that too much creativity and uniqueness will make us weirdos (ie. Michael Jackson). So we suffocate our creative expression out of fear of not fitting in. To hell with fitting in!

I stumbled upon this amazing commencement speech given by JK Rowling at Harvard University. She addresses the topic of FAILURE.  Such a liberating speech. Enjoy.

I found a portion of a dynamic talk given by Tom Peters, a creative thinker and self-proclaimed loudmouth who has helped businesses rethink and redefine creativity, innovation and success for more than 20 years. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t mind bending the business rules so that average people can be liberated to be and do the remarkable.

This video will either leave you offended, depressed, confused, or inspired. Enjoy.