The Underrated Power of Doing the Opposite

| Glance up when the world is heads down. Slow your stride as the crowd races by. Find laser focus amidst a sea of distraction. There is immense power in defying the currents and daring to go against the grain.|

Welcome back to the second edition of the "No Agenda" newsletter. Just a quick reminder to all my readers that these monthly articles aren't intended to address any single topic - they're wide-ranging explorations of ideas, strategies, and mindsets from my personal experiences. In this edition, I am sharing my thoughts about an unconventional mindset that can give you an edge: Contrarian Thinking.

We're constantly bombarded with cultural trends, hot new fads, and pressure to follow. How often do we usually think about going straight when the world is going zig-zag or vice versa? It sounds counterintuitive, but ducking the crowd can help you stand out in a big way, both personally and professionally.

In your personal life, you see it all the time - crazy diets, workout obsessions, dressing like influencers, etc. Instead of getting caught up in those waves, what if you just lived by "Timeless Principles"- healthy eating, sustainable exercise, and cultivating your own authentic style? When the masses were doing crossfit until they burned out, you just lifted weights and did cardio without ego. As friends went keto and gave up carbs, you stuck to balanced meals in moderation. And rather than aping the latest athleisure trends and fast fashion mania, you built a wardrobe of classic, high-quality pieces that aged well and making conscious buying decisions.

This contrarian mindset can pay off hugely in career and business too. Whether you try to do the opposite of what everyone is doing within the organization or outside as a business practice, the magnitude of your actions and the subsequent impact they have has to be decided by none other than yourself.

I would take the example of Nancy Tyagi, an Indian influencer who created a lot of buzz at the recent Cannes Film Festival. So, while all other attendees flaunted their most expensive, exquisite designer outfits, Nancy created ripples donning her self-made outfits. And it's evident, her end goal as an influencer was achieved a 100%.

There are plenty such examples such as that of Yvon Chouinard, the billionaire founder of Patagonia, who launched an iconic "Don't Buy this Jacket" campaign, the total opposite of?typical sales tactics, asking consumers to think twice before purchasing. Sara Blakely founded Spanx and became the youngest self-made billionaire ever, in part by avoiding the VC/Silicon Valley route. I personally love how Lush (the UK based personal care brand), moved away from social media completely, staying true to their cause of supporting mental health. How many brands would dare to do that? You can choose to do things differently depending on your area of influence and control and the end goal.

The best part is that, you don't need to do the opposite with the goal or objective of achieving greatness. You will see that it will almost automatically come to you in the exact shape and size of your end goal and desired results. Greatness after all, is not only to achieve fame and celebrity status, but the real impression it leaves behind and the effect it has in alignment to the outcome expected at both personal and professional levels.

Now, I'm not saying you need to be bizarre or weird and do something just for shock value. The goal is to think for yourself rather than mindlessly following the masses. By drifting to the opposite purposefully when others follow a set pattern, you put yourself in position to turn heads and get noticed. In our crowded world, that's an increasingly valuable edge.

Of course, there's a balance to be struck. You don't want to be awfully eccentric (unless that works for you really!). Instead, make authentic, intentional deviations from the norm in areas that matter to you and your vision. When you diligently analyze where the herd mentality is taking people, you can choose to take a different path that unlocks more success and/or personal fulfillment.

So keep an eye out for where the crowd is headed, then ask yourself "What's the best opposite way I could go here?" It takes guts, but doing the opposite purposefully can open up opportunities and help you stand out from the masses. In your daily life and in your career, don't be afraid to be a well-adjusted contrarian when it counts.

Alright, that's all the contrarian wisdom I have for now. :) and I really hope to see some fabulous insightful examples in the comments. In the meanwhile, I'm going to go shave my head and buy stark purple outfits for my wardrobe...just kidding.. or am I? Maybe you'll have to wait until next month to find out. ;) Namaste!