A few days ago, on February 27, I went to the hotel gym in Santa Monica. Glancing at the sign-in form, I noticed something peculiar.

The actual date was February 27, 2010.

But, people had signed in 8-27?

August 27?

As I studied the form, it didn’t take me long to figure out what had happened.

I looked at at the second row.

Whoever signed in there created a 2 that looked like an 8, so the next person, not thinking, just copied what was above.

As did the next.

Some just skipped it and left the date blank.

One person didn’t know what to
make of it all, so they filled in an 8- and left the rest blank.

8 what?

Here’s the million dollar question: Are you doing this in your business or personal life?

Think of one or two big projects you’re preparing now and ask yourself, “Am I doing them the way everyone else does them?”

If so, why?

“If the only reason you’re doing something is because
everyone else is doing it, that’s not a good enough reason.” —Warren Buffet

How would you do it if it were up to you alone?

Find your own way. Create from within. Try
something different. Or more aptly, try something that’s true for you.

Then again, you could always just choose to follow the pack without thinking, in which case you might just run yourself off a cliff.

And wouldn’t that be fun.