Hommage To Being Weird

Have you ever noticed how many weird people are associated with our work?

The only reason I know this is because I am one. My teenage daughters say:

“dad, you're weird, sorry”

then they assure me...

“but we don't mind”

They like weird. Because my kind of weird comes with freedom. A better name for weird might be…

Innovator.

Have you ever seen of the Diffusion of Innovations Graph above?

Everett Rogers first come up with that in 1962, and it’s been the rage with marketers every since. Anyway, it helps explain why “weird” and “innovator” go together.

As you can see in the graph, there is a nig gap - THE CHASM - between the “marjority/normal” people – and the innovators. Innovators represent only 2~5% of a market, yet the market owes its very existence to innovators. They bought the first transitor radios, calculators, Sony walkmans and desktop computers. They were the first to do try Yoga, eat Vegan (still weird), go Paleo and add sundried tomatoes to pasta.

Turns out, weirdos are very important to progress.

In genetics, we refer to weirdos as “mutants”. It’s amazing to think that evolution occurs because of these weirdo mutations. Are we all just one big mistake? Is weird bad?

No. Weird is good. I am good. You are good.

Long live the weirdos!