I also think most will wish in hindsight that they had “swung for the fences,” taken the big gamble, and really put themselves all out there. So why wait until the end of your life to wish for these things? Here are two major things you should be doing in your pursuit of success. 1. Disagree with the masses: You need to shift into a level of operation where you throw away much of your social upbringing and training. Those who will succeed in the marketplace—especially during economic contractions—are the rule breakers, the noisemakers, the attention-getters; the unreasonable ones. They are the ‘untouchables’ who regularly do things that set them apart from the economy as a whole. I don’t want to respond as others would; I just want to get the job done. Behaving in this way means going forth without editing or judging your behavior based how everyone else acts; but instead on what it takes to accomplish the task at hand. Anyone who has contributed at exceptional levels has—at some point in his or her life—acted irrationally and been ridiculed, even condemned, for it. Related article: Build A Business Like A Bonfire Unreasonable people are often criticized for being so eager to challenge societal barriers. But those that stand by their actions and get things accomplished—despite the negativity, ridicule and fear they endure—will eventually lose their label as an outcast, and instead receive admiration. These people are content to make their own rules; they risk “breaking the rules” in order to build the life, business, industry, and economy they want. Consider this: had the Founding Fathers of the United States conformed to the social norms of England, they would have ended up in prison instead of building a new country. Social means, “marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with one’s friends or associates.” While a norm is defined as “a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulate proper and acceptable behavior.” Put together, you have social-norm—one of the major reasons people elect not to take the actions necessary to create the life they want. Of course, you want to avoid anything that will get you into trouble or hurt other people. But barring those scenarios, think about some of the rules you blindly follow – and what might be different if you didn’t. Those who are able to utilize the childlike ability to disagree; go against the tide; and act illogically will be ensured success despite economic conditions. 2. Go Overboard with Actions: The economy you have is only limited by the amount of unreasonable action you take to create it. Develop the tendency and even preference to be completely unreasonable. Those who remain sensible become victims of economic swings and competition, while those who act irrationally will expand, conquer and grab market share. It’s a shame to see so many people doing solely what is necessary to survive when they have their backs against the wall. I have met thousands of extremely successful people, none of whom ever claimed that their success came easily to them. They all share the common purpose of making their dreams and goals a reality; and many of them did not truly experience their brilliance until they realized that the fulfillment of their dreams required them to act unreasonably. Related article: Selling Is As Critical As Oxygen Most people spend their lives receiving too little attention, with no one ever noticing them. Creating the life you want requires that you demand others’ attention. You want people to be talking about you, because otherwise, no one will ever know about you, your products, or your services. And the only trouble you will get from being unreasonable is envy on the part of others, as well as financial freedom. If you don’t stand out, you will probably be knocked down during serious economic contractions. I have approached all my business enterprises with massive action; that has been the single biggest determining factor in any success I have created. I was a complete unknown when I built my first company without a business plan. I had zero know-how or connections, and the only money I had was generated by new sales. However, I was able to build a sound, viable business just by utilizing and operating at activity levels far beyond what others considered reasonable.

“Show me someone who did something exceptional, and I will show you an exceptional person; a case to which a rule does not apply.”

To do something out of the ordinary, you have to act that way. Now is the time to get attention, go the extra mile, break free from the masses, do what others refuse to do and be unreasonable in your thinking and actions. Your friend in sales and business, Grant Cardone