In the 1950’s, a psychologist called Solomon Asch conducted a series of experiments to test how prone people are to following the crowd.

During the experiments, Asch placed a participant in a room with a group of actors and asked everyone to judge which line was longest on a piece of card. When the actors deliberately gave the wrong answer, most test subjects followed suit.

We all copy each other like this.

There are plenty of clues we're doing this too. 

If you’ve ever found yourself nodding along with things that don’t make sense, you’ll know how this leads to a constant stream of second-guessing. And if you’ve nodded along without realising that’s what you’re doing, you’ll also know the weird feeling that life is drifting off course (even if you can’t quite put your finger on what that feeling is or where it comes from).

I lived with that feeling for almost two decades.

This is why so many smart people who genuinely care about their work find corporate life heavier than it needs to be. They know deep down that something isn't right but they take their cues from everyone else rather than looking for themselves. And as they do, the whole system bloats and starts to feel heavier and heavier.

Mind you, the reason to think for yourself isn’t to stand out from your colleagues (although you will).

The reason to think for yourself is to see more clearly.

I tend to be drawn to people who think for themselves. People who are still playing the game but who see it differently to the masses and who trust their own judgment over the so-called wisdom of the crowd. 

Once you start to see life more clearly, what matters becomes clearer too. Not what matters to your boss, your CEO or the bloke sitting next to you, but what matters to YOU.

These days, seeing clearly is what matters to me.

If it matters to you too:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

To fulfilment,

Tom