Joseph Allen is the principal investigator at the University of Virginia’s Adolescent Research Group. In his research he found that human beings are hardwired to follow. Or, more specifically, the desire to follow the crowd (Herd Doctrine) appears to be a human trait.
For this reason, leaders are outliers. To be a leader you must overcome the built-in human desire to follow.
Many years ago, Candid Camera decided to test this science in their famous Elevator Prank. As funny as that Candid Camera prank was, it highlighted the lengths people will go to be part of the herd.
This Herd Doctrine is why so few become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs must defy everyone they know inside their herd – their family, friends, neighbors, and other individuals.
If you are considering pursuing success via a big goal or life dream, you must, at some point, confront and overcome the well-intentioned members of your herd who will try to dissuade you. It won’t be easy. Your evolutionary conditioning and the evolutionary conditioning of those inside your herd will fight you every step of the way.
Dreamers or entrepreneurs are essentially trying to create or grow their own herd. There are two steps you must follow in creating your own herd:
Step 1 – Separate Yourself From You Herd
Separating yourself from the herd is why most people never achieve success. The herd stops them in their tracks. The moment anyone in your herd gets wind that you are pursuing some big goal, life dream or purpose they pounce on you. You are bombarded with all sorts of negativity. “What happens if you fail?” “Maybe it’s too risky.” “The odds of success are stacked against you.” “You’re not smart enough.” “Where will you get the money?” It takes super human effort to persist in the face of such criticism. Most don’t. They surrender to the herd.
Step 2 – Create Your Own Herd
Successful people succeed because they are able to pull others away from their other herds to join their own herd.
If you can get the herd to move to your product or service, it can make you an overnight success. It forces other herds to move in your direction. For example, when the Facebook herd was formed, others left out of the herd began quickly jumping on the Facebook herd bandwagon. That herd now has over a billion members.
Successful people are successful because they are able to get others to join their herd. Millionaires have big herds, deca-millionaires, bigger herds and billionaires, huge herds.
Understanding the Herd Doctrine is critical to success in life. Getting the herd to turn your way, or join your own herd, is what millionaires and billionaires do. Successful people are actually herd creators.
About Thomas C. Corley
Speak Your Mind