“There are two lies that lead to frustration and failure in our lives. The first lie is that being normal, following the rules, and fitting in will help you succeed. The second lie is that fixing your weaknesses and being balanced and well-rounded is the best route to personal and career fulfillment. We need to replace these self-defeating beliefs with a pair of more accurate and useful assumptions. First, it is good to be different, to stick out, and to be a freak. Second, it is good to flaunt your weaknesses, instead of fixing them. It is good to be unbalanced. In other words, what makes us weird also makes us wonderful. What makes us weak also makes us strong.”
– David Rendall
Image: the flowers of life by *brilho-de-conta via Flickr.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
I love this quote and its affirmation of all of us as individuals! Thank you for passing this wonderful celebration along, Rudri!
Lisa,
I am glad you liked the quote. These words encourage us to be less hard on ourselves.
Absolutely love this. ? This speaks to me so much right now. Thanks for sharing.
I loved how he redefined the word weakness. So affirming. Have a good weekend, Sarah.
We must almost be ourselves if we want to find peace within. Great quote.
Thanks, Ayala.
Being normal really isn’t always a virtue, is it? Oh good. I can let my freak flag fly. I take comfort in that.