“If you don’t see the book you want on the shelves, write it.” – Beverly Cleary

Sometimes, even for leaders, it’s really difficult to think for ourselves.  We get bombarded with books and podcasts and self-help ideas and articles and a million other things telling us what we should be and do.  We think that because people created all of these things they must be really smart, and therefore we should listen to them.

And we should, to a point.  There are a lot of great ideas out there, and in today’s world we have access to more of them than ever before in the history of the world.  We shouldn’t be afraid to learn from others’ wisdom.

That said, at some point, you have to figure out who you are and then be you.  You might find the ideas of others to be insightful, but you can’t be them.  You have to be the person you are, in the place you’re intended to be, doing what you’re supposed to do.

That can be scary.  If you try to copy somebody that you deem to be successful, no one will laugh at you or criticize you for what you’re trying to be.  You may not succeed, but at least you’re trying to be the “correct” thing.

But if you try to be you, people may laugh at you or criticize you.  They may point and wonder what you think you’re doing.  They may ask why you’d do something so irrational or irresponsible.  They may think you’re dumb, or lazy, or clueless, or who knows what.

Do it anyway.  You were not put on this planet to be somebody else.  You are specifically you for a reason.  You have a specific role to play.  You may not feel like you have any idea what that is (a topic for another day), but that role exists.  And only you can play it.

Don’t settle for trying to be a generic version of somebody else.  Learn from others but then walk your own path.  You’ll never feel successful or find fulfillment being someone else.  Be you.