Conversation in social media is supposed to be “open source,” right?
We’re supposed to gain energy and excitement from being open to the entire internet, to ideas that come to us from literally every corner of the globe.
But too often “social media” turns into a predictably closed circuit of the same people having the same conversation.
Finding your own tribe can be a wonderful thing. It can also make your blog unbearably boring.

The move from “wonderful” to “boring” happens when we fall into a pattern of always interacting with the same people, always talking about the same topics, and always reinforcing existing networks. There’s no growth, only stagnation.
I’ve seen this happen often with myself. I think that I’m growing and cultivating, but all I’m doing is reinforcing what’s already there.
So, here’s another idea.

If you’re an existing leader . . .

• Give someone else a chance to use your platform.
• Let a new voice guest post on your blog.
• Tell your network about an up-and-coming blogger.
• Bring a different perspective to the conversation.
• Introduce a new or relatively unknown participant to your circle.

If you’re not a leader yet (but you’re working on it) . . .

• Make an effort to bring in new ideas to the conversation. Be willing to talk about what no one else is.
• Push the boundaries of what’s expected in your field.
• Proactively connect with people outside your niche, or in overlapping niches. Sometimes the best ideas come from an intersection of unexpected opposites.
• Don’t just blindly follow established leaders. Actually make a conscious decision to follow them if you think they have value to offer. In other words, don’t follow someone just because everyone else does.
• Guest post for someone you don’t already know well. Bring your ideas to a totally new audience.

Awesome things can happen when we consciously branch out beyond our habitual circles of association.
Instead of just aligning with people with the same skills and strengths as us, we can seek out those with different talents that complement our strengths.
Instead of reinforcing the same patterns of conversations, we can move beyond our comfort zones and make more meaningful connections. We can find new and interesting ways of approaching tired problems.
Instead of reenacting the same mental synapses, we can actually diverge and possibly . . . just maybe . . . innovate.

Get remarkable by getting out of your comfort zone

Who knows, maybe a lawyer could teach you how to build a better case for selling your product. Perhaps a teacher could help you communicate better with the beginners in your audience. Maybe a politician could teach you how to better dodge questions and avoid dealing with real issues.
OK, just kidding with that last one.
When we make a conscious effort to continually bring in fresh ideas and voices, we grow. We break the patterns that we’ve created. We move beyond plateaus to higher ground.
We can only change the game when we change the rules we play by.
And if we do, then just maybe, we can create something that’s really new. And isn’t that what we live for?