Why you need weird people in your life.

“Everyone has their own ways. It takes all kinds to make the world go round.”

-Dad

I was speaking with my father about a friend of mine and how strange his eating habits are.  He then told me the quote above. It made me think about the weird things I do and then I realized I’m not so normal either.

Despite how strange the ways of other people may be, it allows them to do what they do. Routines and corky cogs make what they do different from everyone else. Some people need that specific mechanism in their life to start their engine and fuel their passion.

Charles Dickens, an English writer, was known to write always facing north.

Not only that, he would sleep with his body aligned with the North and South pole. He believed that alignment with the magnetic poles ensured the success of his creativity. It is even told that he was so obsessed with it that he would use a compass to move and align his bed when he was staying away from home. Perhaps this was how Charles became focused in his own way. Focusing on North helped him focus on his creativity and be more prodcutive.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian Composer, took 2 hour walks every single day.

It is told that if he came back from his walk even a few minutes early, he would create misfortune in his life. This exercise obsession isn’t too corky, but it is one nonetheless. Daily exercise and mental refreshment is something we all can gain from. I think the key behind Pyotr and his habit was that it was something that he had control of. He could choose to walk or not. When he knows he can walk for two hours each day, he knows he can compose great pieces of music. The exercise was also a plus.

Why are weird habits important to all of us?

Habits are the triggers of great success in the things we do. They get us mentally ready to take on a new task and create to our best ability. Habits are something that are familiar to us and make us comfortable. When we are doing our best work confidence pulls us through. What better way to build confidence than through the comfort of our own strange habits?

Not only are weird habits important to us, they are important to everyone we work with. The next time you see someone with an interesting way of doing things, maybe it’s what makes them tick. Maybe it is an essential element to their success. Rather than being weirded out, try embracing who they are.