Are you a Line-Waiter or Rule-Breaker?

Photo By Hust Wilson on Unsplash

Do you ever sit around a watch other people succeed and think, "they make it look so easy, what are they doing differently?" Well, consider how your mindset around rules and norms might be what's actually holding you back.

Back Story 

I recently went to Napa for a quick girls’ weekend with my cousin. My flight was delayed and I almost missed my connection. The entire trip was less than 48 hours so I was determined to make the flight so I could make the most of it. As soon as the plane arrived at the gate, I let the people beside me know I needed to make a connection and proceeded to move to the front of the plane. I politely explained to each passenger the scenario and most people let me go ahead. But there were a few people who grumbled and would say, “yeah, I have a connection too.” Basically saying, “why should I let you go ahead? Why are you so special?” Some people had an hour to make their connections, and others, like me, had a very short window to clear customs and make a run for their connecting flight. It was there and then, it dawned on me. There are two kinds of people in life: line-waiters and rule-breakers. 

I am the latter. But first let’s start with line-waiters.

Line-Waiters

These are the people who always follow the rules. They like order and following the norms set by society. They might question themselves, “What makes me so special? I don't want to draw any negative attention.” They might be the ones in a workplace who put in their time and wait for what they want vs asking for a raise or promotion. They don’t like to stand out from the crowd. They may feel like some things are just out of their control. 

Rule-Breakers  

Then there are the rule-breakers. They might not be law breakers, but they believe some rules are meant to be broken. They ask for what they want. They use reason, and the power of persuasion to influence outcomes toward their favour or the favour of others and the greater good. They are not afraid to challenge or stand out from the crowd. They are always focusing their actions on what is within their control. They forge their own path instead of following others. 

Create What You Want 

Take a minute and think about it. Which one are you? How is your view on how the world works serving you in your business? In many industries there’s a lot of competition and you need to stand out and focus on how you can attract what you want. As an entrepreneur in an industry saturated with coaches offering many similar things, I’ve started to think about how I can stop waiting for opportunity to knock and start creating more value to influence who I’m attracting. Even in my example of the plane, I made it almost to the front and the one man who made the biggest fuss made me stop. After reflecting, next time I'll say to that person. "Ok, you need to make a connection too? What are you waiting for? Let's both make our way to the front!" Because, sometimes the people around us need permission to break the rules too.

Call to Action

What is one action you can take to start moving away from the norm and break some rules? If you’re with me and want to create something that has a real impact, without feeling bound by rules, share this post with the hastags #startadialogue and #rulesweremadetobebroken. 

I'd love to hear what you think: were rules made to be broken? Or should we play it safe and follow the crowd?

By the way, I did make my flight (although my luggage didn’t). Good wine, good food and one emergency outfit in my carry-on is all I needed. So ultimately, bending the rules a bit worked out in my favour ;-).

Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash