Many of the guys I work with I’d consider “unique.” I mean, they’re the sort of men that would pay a man to teach them how to pick up women. They’re not necessarily weird, or pathetic like one might imagine. Usually they’re just into the idea of living a counter culture instead of just reading about it.

When I was a kid I prided myself on being different. I wore different clothes, listened to different music, and hung out with different people. My definition of different was anything not applauded by the mainstream. What’s funny is that looking back, I was still following a trend. Being different was really just a masked attempt at fitting in, somewhere (sentimental music).

So is it better to fit in or stand out? It really depends on what sort of life you wish to live. Not all men are meant, or desire to be leaders. And not all leaders need to stand out. Personally, I’ve always been into expressing myself. I suppose it’s a sort of attention defecit disorder stemming from a lack of Fatherly guidance or something.

I mean, we need people to build or bridges, do our taxes, to blend into the background of movies, to be plain. If everyone was an egotistical, narcissistic attention whore, nothing would function properly. The busses wouldn’t run, the grocery stores would be empty of produce, the restaurants would have no bus boys.

And there’d be far too much art. We’d have more movies than could be seen, more paintings than could be hung, more bands than could be heard. There would be all this art and no fans. Without followers, there would be no consumption, only production.

There will come a time where robots will do most of our manual labor and we will be left to explore the vast, unemployed spaces of our subconscious–our imaginations. Many will fall into a life of virtual escapism in 24/7 virtual video games. Creatives will be sought out to design and maintain these virtual worlds. But the common laborer will be obsolete, at least in the modern, developed world. Shit, wars will even be fought by robots piloted by teenagers thousands of miles away. So what about the average man? The uneducated, the unenlightened? What does the future hold in store for them?

I don’t want to be a voice for the average consumer, or the simple guy. They have their own culture. The culture we are building is one for those that want to rise above “common,” even if it’s only the illusion of achievement.

You will never please everyone. You will never be the voice of a generation. You will never get every girl. And since we’re all human beings, you’ll never be truly unique. And if you just want to fit in, there’s plenty of room for that. You may even be rewarded for conformity.

In “Linchpin” by Seth Godin, he explains how the days of job security are coming to an end. Only those that make themselves indispensable will be safe. And those linchpins are the creatives, the leaders, the charmers and the champions.

We all have the ability to create something bigger than ourselves. The problem is most people are too comfortable, too safe, to try. “I’m not clever, good looking or talented enough” they say. Well, maybe that’s true. Keep telling yourself it’s true and it sure will be.

This blog was created so I could market my pickup company to men, but the information is applicable to anyone that wants to escape their self-imposed mental prison. We aren’t living in war torn Uganda—you have a choice. You can still shake off the self induced coma and do something to improve your station in life. You can learn a skill, practice, practice, practice, and become an expert. It may take four, or eight, or ten years. But I guarantee you that if you feel bored today, and you were bored yesterday, you will be bored tomorrow, unless you make yourself stand out, become a unique human and develop a skill that increases your value in this world.

If you want to blend it, that’s fine, it’s a lifestyle. But if you want to stand out, focus on something today. Get out your laptop, go for a run, approach a girl, write a song, develop a business plan…do something, anything, and prepare for the future that will reward people with nascent talents.

Be seen, be heard. You will never be truly unique, but you can always be “rare.” It’s easy to be rare—do what most don’t: Make something happen–rather than waiting to be told what to do.