Being the Unicorn

From Chapter Four - Break on Through to the Other Side

Innovative thinking and coloring outside of the lines is both empowering and energizing. Once that we muster up the courage to break through the initial angst of expanding our world, we dis-cover a euphoric state of no return. Unicorns walk into their new worlds proudly and excited to be different. They exude a self-confidence that stops others in their tracks. With an absence of arrogance, unicorns attract curiosity, they do not repel.

From Chapter Seven - The Magical - Mystery Tour

Unicorn thinking can be your most valuable tool for increasing market share, finding and securing new clients, and getting a full step on your competitors. As I share a few of my effective unicorn moments with you, hopefully you are realizing correlating applications of these initiatives within your business. Being the Unicorn provides numerous benefits in establishing your individual brand. Wearing that proverbial horn proudly as you bob and weave throughout your work day will cause you to stand out, be influential, and get noticed.

There is always a launching day - today can be yours. As previously mentioned, there is a reason why unicorns are rare. A unicorn does not blend in with the crowd. They do not conform mere-ly for the sense of conforming. They are not hesitant, and in fact, confident to speak their mind. The unicorn brings new ideas and fresh perspectives. Others rely on unicorns to set the pace and explain the rules. And most of all, unicorns are respected, not feared. They are mystical crea-tures not fearsome beasts.

So, how are you perceived in your work place? How about among your friends and colleagues? Are you a leader among equals? Is it crystal clear where you stand on issues and policies? Are you a unifier, a divider, or a fence sitter? All of these are fair questions we must ask ourselves when we begin each day. Unicorns don’t wear a name plate that says: Unicorn. Rather, it is im-plied in a confident gate as they walk through an area or into a room. It is noticed when they speak and the people in the room make specific adjustments to listen to what they have to say. And it’s apparent as they boldly state their claim, offer creative solutions to challenges, and em-ploy their magical powers to persuade

The unicorn is a skilled collaborator, but not necessarily a good committee member. Struggling to win consensus of a large crowd of participants becomes acutely frustrating. The unicorn wel-comes input and multiple points of view, but then decides quickly and prefers to move forward to the next challenge. A unicorn rarely looks back, except to reflect on a wise decision or to identify relevant signs that were missed along the journey. Unicorns are not bullies or loud-mouths in a crowd. They have earned respect without saying a thing.

Though their numbers are limited, unicorns are crucial to our secular eco-balance. How about you? Would you rather lead than follow? State your claim or remain silenced? Which is more important to you, consensus or compliance? Do you have a disdain for mediocrity and shutter when you hear the words, “ we’ve always done it that way”?

From Chapter Ten - Time to Burst Some Balloons

Our pivot here is to let our unique light shine into both our personal and secular worlds. Being the unicorn is embracing that we are the electricity that flows into the filaments of life and brings brightness to those around us. Wow. That’s a big statement. Is it too much? Well, you decide, but I realized at some point in my early thirty’s that most of the people in the world around me were caught up in some cruel form of a hamster spinning wheel for humans. They continually move, but remain in virtually the same place that they started. They exert a tremendous amount of effort, but for no personal gain, and they consume volumes of energy and emotion, yet cannot articulate what they stand for. My most sincere hope is that the messages within this book incite you to unleash your inner-unicorn.

Each of these chapters are worth reviewing as you continue your journey to the other side of me-diocrity. If you’re reading this book, I encourage you to download it and hear me say these words to you. If your are listening to the book, I encourage you to add a bound copy to your business library. I would be honored to hear from you. Reach out to me on my website or other channels of social media. Pass along your favorite unicorn moments - it would thrill me to hear your story.

We have only one journey, though we will come to many forks in the road. These are our mo-ments of truth that can define our body of work and greatly influence our level of contribution. I know you are a student of change just by your decision to consume these words and ideas. Be prepared that as you approach the forks in your road, that the decisions to go one way or the next are not easy ones. The unicorn approaches a fork in the road and is decisive and confident that great things lie ahead on either path, because the journey is not pre-ordained, it is what we make it.