[SERIES] 7/7 Unpopular Belief: Be As Disloyal As Possible
Yes, we can all agree that loyalty is useful in personal relationships.But the rest of life is much more complicated.This is post 7 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Be As Disloyal As Possible!
Personal Loyalty
Yep. This is the part of being a human that has helped us survive for so long as a species.By trusting our neighbors, humans have been able to build societies that functioned and developed.Strangely, it doesn't always work the same for business or for building resources.
Opportunism helps us get to the next level.
By seeking and seizing opportunities, we can move forward faster.Being brand loyal doesn't help you if the brand suddenly changes leadership and goes in a new direction.Being loyal to a partner doesn't help you if your partner decides to sell off their shares.Being loyal to your previous statements or beliefs doesn't help you change your mind with new information.
Choose the plan with the most options.
This helps diversify your options so that you can choose based on the changing context of the world.As the backdrop changes, so will your decisions.
2 Minute Action
Staying in the theme of options, here are some action options for today:
- Tell your closest friends or your partner how grateful you are to have them in your life.
- Tell your employer that you're looking for more opportunities within the company and you'd like to know more about what it takes to get there.
- Reply to this post! What's something you believed as a child that you no longer believe, now?
Why You Should Be As Disloyal As Possible
I stole this tip from Derek Sivers.*I've heard Sivers say "be as disloyal as possible" and to "only be loyal when disloyalty is not possible."What he's saying is that the world doesn't always have your back. Your company is going to make the best business decision it can, regardless of how many years you've worked for them.It's one of these interesting beliefs that is the opposite of how we operate in our personal lives.Many people are taught to be loyal to family, friends, and partners--and I don't know anyone who's been taught the opposite.In order to succeed in our careers, being disloyal, opportunistic, and focused on our career's impact on the greater good is the optimal route.I'm not saying you should break up with your projects or your job. I'm also not saying that you should betray, deceive, or lie.I believe in being honest, trustworthy, and transparent.I'm saying scandals, corruption, and decision-making that's not aligned with your mission should be on your radar. It's up to you to stay awake enough to detect it around you when it happens.By being disloyal at default, you're positioning yourself to reality-check the decisions of others around you without blindly following.Trust is important to build over time--but loyalty should be avoided as much as possible.
2 Minute Action
When was the last time you felt loyal to something?Chances are it already happened today.
- Maybe to your country?
- Maybe to your company?
- How about to a fraternity or a sorority?
Take 1 minute and list a few things to which you're loyal.Next, take 1 more minute and list a few things those people/organizations would have to do to lose your loyalty.If you have 5 or more things for each, that's great.If you have one or two for each, you're in danger. (*Derek Sivers is a favorite author and entrepreneur of mine. He started CDBaby.com which was the first place to buy music online. He sold his company for somewhere around 21 million dollars and then gave it all away to charity.)