Drive. Align. Shift. Spirit Driving Institute Blog

The Left Lane Isn’t Always the Fast Lane

While driving around town this weekend, I was observing how some folks behave on the freeway. We all tend to think the left lane is the fast lane. We don't have to deal with exits. There's only one other lane next to us where cars can merge in and out. In the midst of a traffic jam, there were folks that were insistent on staying in the left lane even though the other lanes were moving faster.

We tend to follow a similar herd mentality in the workplace. We listen to "experts" and take the usual path to achieve success in our careers. When I was in graduate school talking with my advisor about taking a leave of absence, I remember he asked me what I wanted to do instead of continuing in a scientific field. I mentioned my interest in computers and without skipping a beat, he told me how I would have difficulty in that market. He proceeded to recount a story about another graduate student that went into that field and had a lot of challenges. Hmm, interesting. I won't bother to comment further.

The herd mentality might involve following a typical path, like an executive management program in your company. Or if you're a business owner, it might look like marketing your business the same way as others in your field. Going against the grain is often discouraged.

What would happen if you tried doing one thing differently from the rest of the herd? Every breakthrough or invention happened because someone decided to try something different. This is true in the sciences and every other field.

I've found that not following the herd brings new opportunities. If I had let that graduate student advisor convince me not to follow my interests, I wouldn't be sitting here blogging today. It's been an interesting journey with some challenges, but nowhere near as complicated as he tried to lead me to believe. I changed lanes and feel better for it.

About Leila Johnson

Leila (pronounced 'Layla') Johnson's book, Driving to Success: Let Your Spirit Take the Wheel, was released on May 20, 2010 as an e-book and on October 21, 2010 in paperback. It is a spiritual retreat for overachieving entrepreneurs and professionals who want to redefine the answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Since 2003, Leila has co-owned and managed their full-service, award-winning Web and communications firm, VelaMira, Inc. dba Data-Scribe® with her husband. As part of her journey on the road of life, Leila has earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and in the Metaphysical Sciences. Prior to starting her business, Leila worked as a call center coach, curriculum developer, and trainer in the financial and insurance industries. Leila's sites are http://www.spiritdriving.com and http://www.datascribe.biz.