Stereotypes are pretty powerful images for most of us; we tend to live them every day without even thinking about it. We like to dress a certain way, to look the part. We like to play in the same social arena year after year. At some point, conformity becomes a cross between a baby blanket and a straight jacket. Ever felt that way?

Easing out of a stereotype takes a little doing, but it will help get you into the ME niche. Here’s an example of what I mean.

Every two or three years my friend Billy has to shake off the old skin. He’ll kick his way through the office door and hit the road for a few weeks. Here’s his itinerary (unedited) for this year:

* Driving Dallas to Chicago first to area outside Oklahoma City (grandma visit 2 days) next to Tulsa 1-2 days (reputed hippest town in Oklahoma) thru Ozarks on to Springfield, Mo (visit HS buddy 1-2 days) hit the road to Chicago-haven’t figured out yet what’s b/w Mizzu & Chicago so there may be some stops. Chicago for 2-3 days (lake Michigan, museums, Cubs day game).

Fly Chicago to Phila or Boston for 1-2 days walking one of these towns. Take a train to NYC. Plan on staying for 5-7 days at friends’ places. Maybe Hamptons Labor Day weekend if buddy w/house up there comes up. If still time fly to N. Carolina 1-2 days in Ashville then off to the mountains to visit another HS buddy who’s camp director for children’s Summer Christian camp. Fly back to Dallas. *

You can see that Billy has a mix of scripting and serendipity woven into this trip. Before he left, he told me he was a little anxious about how it would go, but that he was willing to gamble on a little adventure cropping up and to do that he had to leave the plan open ended.

The cool thing about this is that Billy is doing what I call Innertuition – he’s teaching himself about his ME niche by allowing the unplanned, unscripted, non-conforming stuff a place in his life. He’s been to Argentina, Cuba and Mexico using this same mix of scripted and unscripted travel – without fail something interesting happens. He returns with a new perspective on life and a new skin.

The ME niche really starts to really make sense as you let go of some of your stereotypes and face life using more and more of your inner resources. The trick is to start at a place where you don’t stir up huge amounts of anxiety and risk – rather you stir up feelings of challenge, engagement and learning. Be smart about it and honest with yourself. Weigh your feelings – is the challenge and interest worth the anxiety and fear you may feel? Come up with something that keeps a sense of balance, without being too tame.

So…. if you were to take your Innertuition for a trip, where would YOU go?