Pattern · 07 / 08
The Copying Follower
“You do what others do because it looks like it works. You copy structures, formats, words, and still the result lags.”
What keeps you small
The pattern
You try to move inside someone else’s system. A strategy that doesn’t fit you doesn’t work.
The shift
What moves you forward
Stop copying, start owning. Learn from others, apply it your way.
A quote
“It’s done with doing the same thing as everyone else.”
Your strength
You learn fast, you recognise quality, you know what works. That sharpness is a gift.
The question for you
Which part of you is too uniquely you to ever copy from someone else?
How this pattern shows up
In your ordinary week
- 01You read how someone else did it and almost copy it whole.
- 02You went to a webinar yesterday and try the same style now.
- 03You catch yourself speaking someone else’s words in a conversation.
Three first steps
To do today
- 1Write one page without reading or checking anything first.
- 2Take one line that isn’t yours and rewrite it entirely.
- 3Ask yourself: ‘what would I say if I forgot what they said?’
What you might ask about this pattern
The Copying Follower
What’s wrong with learning from others?
Nothing, on the first layer. The pattern is in the second layer, when you take their words without putting them through yourself.
How do I find my own voice?
By first being quiet from others. Two weeks of not reading what colleagues post, and listening to what remains.
Why do I feel like a fraud when I do my own thing?
Because it feels unusual. The pattern calls that ‘not legitimate’. It is the first time you actually are.
Can I follow no one at all?
Sure. But as input, not as blueprint. Read, and always rewrite yourself.
But is this really your pattern?
Seven questions expose it. Plus a workbook written for your specific type.