You Are Different

I cannot be you, and you cannot be me.

While the differences will appear subtle at times, other times not-so-subtle.

But the overall structure means you are something unlike others. An utterly different combination.

A formula that worked perfectly for me might not work for you, because it was perfectly tuned for me. It made total sense, in my world.

The hunger for one-simple-pattern moves us to seek easy-step formulas. But everyone is different.

Resiliency comes from thinking for ourselves. That is why I like frameworks. Frameworks, not formulas. A framework is a tool for helping us think about something, but we have to apply our minds to it.

Frameworks are light scaffolding — general principles that tend to help our thinking go in good directions.

For example:

• Expect yourself to be different from me; don’t look for completed blueprints to build your life based upon someone else
• Instead, look at the elements you like and enjoy; study others’ lives for inspiration
• Now, construct your own house based on the parts you’ve been inspired by; or not... (whatever you want; it will all combined differently; see how it works, and play with it, a lot)

As we were crossing a big street and going into Central Park on my first ever trip to New York City, Simon said something that impressed me, and wove its way into my mind, almost thirty years later. I was following his track across the busy street; and so, I was nearly hit by a swerving car. He looked back; smiled; and yelled “make your own way!”

That’s good advice.