The outsider strength
Outsiders have this ability ahead of others
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There are people who seem to fit into any social field – and there are those who may not have this quality and therefore sometimes feel left out. Both are perfectly fine. But being the outsider also has its perks.
Enjoy being on the outside more often than being part of a group. Why? Because it brings positive things that you might not even suspect. The outsider:inside existence is not a weakness, but can be a strength that brings us further in life.
In what way? – you might be wondering now. Let’s think about a few outsiders. What do they often have in common? They usually offend in society, prefer to stand for their own opinion than to go with the mainstream and sometimes shape generations. They also often acquire knowledge themselves and rely less on the thoughts and advice of others.
You are the best teacher yourself
As an Outsider:in you may not always be one of them, but this gives you a decisive advantage: you can become creative yourself, implement your own vision and are not influenced by others. Here are three things that outsiders have over others:
- Your motto: Learning by doing.
Your best teacher is the experience you bring to yourself. With perseverance and your goal in mind, you can actually teach yourself everything you need to know. And you don’t need the help of others to do this. - Solution-oriented through life:
Instead of looking for advice, outsiders usually try to find a solution themselves first. There may be easier ways, but your own view of things makes your work not only original, but also original. - Outsider:inside power:
Insiders are mostly like the cogs of a well-oiled machine, consisting of several people and social contacts that they can fall back on, which usually makes them excellent team players: inside. But as an outsider:in, you simply create your machine yourself – regardless of what others think of you.
Outsiders: in style
A wonderful example of a successful outsider is Eileen Gray, one of the most important designers and architects of the early 20th century. She wanted to learn more about architecture, but back then it was still a male profession. However, that did not stop the young woman from taking an interest in her job and simply acting – even without the support of others.
With books and night classes, she kept learning more about what she needed to know and experimenting with eclectic designs. Since she didn’t work in the mainstream of the masses, she noticed that the work of other people in the profession was very predictable and not very individual. Because the competition stuck to the learned design rules with very similar house constructions. Eileen chose the better way: stand out rather than go with the flow.
Self-learned miracles
Gray taught himself all sorts of things, including math, drawing, engineering and laying electrical cables. With her products she showed everyone how successful it is to believe in yourself (without outside help). Her designs, such as a round side table with a metal frame and glass top, are still used today and sold in similar versions. At that time, their creations were above all new and different and therefore quickly became a success on the market.
In 1929 she completed her first house: Villa E.1027. Its modern architecture was much celebrated at the time and today the building can still be visited on vacation on the Côte D’Azur:
“It looks like a typical villa in Hollywood,” one might think. But: Just from the year 1929 and not from 2014 – Eileen Gray is an exciting personality who, despite all the statements made by others, asserted herself and certainly experienced a lot on her way. The architect and designer also designed the interior furniture herself. With the help of old plans and photos, the interior and the facade of the building were later completely renovated and can now be visited again. So we learn from this: Being an outsider can get us a long way and is no reason to feel bad. Instead: Welcome this trait!
Sources used: Psychology Today, ad-magazin.de