It’s so popular in our celebrity culture to say “I want to be like [insert name of well known successful person you admire]”.

Celebrity idolatry is at an all time high. Fortunately, over time many people have learned to recognise it for what it is, and to avoid it.

But there’s a subtle, much more significant issue at work too. That of ‘wanting to healthily model the person I admire’.

At it’s best this is healthy. In some ways to learn from and aspire to be more like others who have walked a similar path, can be a good thing. It’s important to look at others with similar gifts and callings, those we respect, and learn lessons from them.

But if we’re not careful, this can lead us down the path of essentially becoming copies of those we admire.

We can become so busy trying to become like someone else, that we forget to be ourselves.

And even worse, we can use our ‘trying to be like someone else’ as a way of avoiding being who we were made to be. Maybe even to cover up for a belief that we, in ourselves, on our own, don’t have value or legitimacy, and nor does our work.

And it’s a horrendous lie.

I had this realisation about my own life recently. I recognised whilst I have lots of heroes who I learn from, admire, and can take a lot of lessons and tips from, I actually have to recognise I’m not them.

I am me. And I am not anyone else.

I’m not the writer who writes words which are almost like poetry. But I’m also not the writer who writes 4 step guides, methodical, always practical pieces either.

I’m not a qualified theologian sharing academic insights.

I’m not one of the ‘platform building brigade’.

I’m not a business, lifestyle, food, or travel blogger.

I’m not the ‘everything meets all the grammatical rules’ writer.

I am me.

Just me.

And me is different from everyone else. My unique combination of gifts, my voice, is my own, and it’s valid, and it’s important. Even if no one ever reads my words, the important thing is to share them.

And the other thing I need to learn to receive, is the simple truth that my work is worth sharing. That I don’t and shouldn’t copy anyone else, and I shouldn’t be so ashamed of my own work, my own voice that I try to cover it up with someone else’s.

My love, my desire, is to share what I’m learning from my own story, and putting that into some practical ideas which can benefit everyone. My passion, my purpose, my calling, to help as many people as I can to discover their true identity, purpose and calling. To discover a deeper, interconnected spirituality. To embrace their creative side and give it full expression.

And it all begins by knowing that I am enough. I belong. I’m loved, accepted and wonderful just as I am.

This is true for every single one of us.

You are not like anyone else.

And who you are is beautiful.

When we truly receive this truth, it liberates us from fear of failure, and we no longer feel like we need to copy anyone else. Which frees us to create the life and do the work we were born to make.

Others have their paths, their callings, their talents, their style. I have mine. And mine is equally valid. It belongs. It’s enough. Of course, I will always be looking to nurture, develop, improve, mature the gifts which I have, to refine and improve them and myself. I will learn from those I admire.

But my style, my calling, my purpose is mine. And that’s OK

What You Have That Others Don’t

You have your own style. Your own purpose. Your own calling. And that’s OK. You don’t need to compare yourself with others – all it does is make you feel a failure, not good enough, and not as important. You feel your gifts, your voice even, isn’t valid.

But the thing is, you have one talent no one else has or ever will. You’re you. (you can tweet that)

You have a unique mix of personality, character, knowledge, wisdom, experiences and talents which no one else has or will ever have. The world needs the benefit of all of these qualities. And your responsibility – to yourself and the world – is to harness these in such a way which brings purpose and meaning to you, and brings something positive, constructive and beneficial to the rest of the world.

Even if the ‘rest of the world’ is just one or two people. That’s more than zero – and more than zero is enough to be worthwhile. Because I gurantee that at least one person will benefit from your work.

You.

Even if no one else in the 7 billion people in the world benefits from your work, there is no doubt the very act of doing the work will change you. It will help you grow. It will give you purpose, confidence and meaning. You will be different as a result – and that’s more than zero.

You matter. Your voice matters. Your gifts, experiences, knowledge, personality all matters.

I challenge you today, to have the courage to go and share it with the world.

Learn from others, yes. Admire others, yes. But don’t compare yourself to others, and don’t try to be anyone else.

Be you.

The world needs you – not a poor copy of someone else.

Are you with me?

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Question For Reflection:

What is it that makes you uniquely you?

Let me know in the comments below.

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This Wednesday I have the songwriting duo ‘Chasing Lovely’ on my podcast ‘James Talks’ – catch that and all previous episodes on either iTunes or on Podbean.

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Pictures: Quotesgram.com / Online source

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