Defy Conventional Wisdom

The conventional way is the boring way. People have been there and done that. They want a new path, something they haven't considered before. Offer ideas that go against the grain and people's ears will perk up to listen.

When everyone says “zig,” tell people why they should “zag” instead.

When you notice advice being commonly given that you disagree with, voice your perspective.

Just because something has been done a certain way for a long time doesn’t mean there aren’t better methods. If they don’t exist yet, invent them!

Humanity can’t progress by doing things in the same way. In any field of study, there needs to be innovation, and that can only come from challenging the current way of doing things.

Many solutions are paradoxical. We tend to assume that the logical path is the “right” one, but often a better path can be found by doing the exact opposite of what seems true. Look for areas within your niche where there is room for solutions that go against the grain of common advice.

Here are some examples of ideas that could potentially fly in the face of conventional wisdom (not saying I agree with all of these):

• Following your passion will most likely lead to greater unhappiness than if you didn’t.
• Working less, not more, gives you a greater chance at financial success.
• Introverts are more successful than extroverts in business.
• Put your spouse first, not your kids.
• Do put all your eggs in one basket.
• Vegetables are bad for you.

The thing about conventional wisdom is that it’s often wrong. What is seen as “obviously true” today is proven false by tomorrow. Some things work, but that doesn’t mean they’re optimal.

So be on the lookout for opportunities to “zag” when everyone else in your industry is “zigging” — it’ll create some controversy and bring more attention to your ideas. Just make sure you actually believe what you’re saying!