Recently I was tagged by Tristan at the Synergy Institute to “think different.” I thought this topic was very timely, since I recently revealed how I was thinking differently myself by going against the stereotype of the typical techy guy and trying to be a creative writer.

In the Johnny Cash movie “Walk the Line,” there was a scene that really summed up my take on thinking different. In this scene, Johnny Cash basically walks off the street and auditions to producer Sam Phillips for a record deal. It doesn’t start off very well…

[After record producer Sam Phillips stops Cash’s band a couple of verses into their audition due to lack of originality.]

Sam Phillips: You know exactly what I’m telling you. We’ve already heard that song a hundred times. Just like that. Just… like… how… you.. sing it.

Johnny Cash: Well, you didn’t let us bring it home.

Sam Phillips: Bring… bring it home? All right, let’s bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you was lying out there in that gutter dying, and you had one time to sing one song. Huh? One song that people would remember before you’re dirt. One song that would let God know how you felt about your time here on Earth. One song that would sum you up. You tellin’ me that’s the song you’d sing? That same Jimmy Davis tune we hear on the radio all day, about your peace within, and how it’s real, and how you’re gonna shout it? Or… would you sing somethin’ different. Somethin’ real. Somethin’ you felt. Cause I’m telling you right now, that’s the kind of song that truly saves people. It ain’t got nothin’ to do with believin’ in God, Mr. Cash. It has to do with believin’ in yourself.

Johnny Cash: I got a couple of songs I wrote in the Air Force. You got anything against the Air Force?

Sam Phillips: No.

Johnny Cash: I do.

Johnny Cash then goes on to sing a soulful tune lamenting the times he had while being a GI, and you can see how Sam Phillips was moved by the song. On the verge of failing his audition, Johnny Cash pulled up something from his soul to get his shot at his dreams.

A lot of times, we have that something that is different, that is real, inside of us but just doesn’t come out. It’s safer to say and do things that are normal and expected. Sometimes we want - no, we need to be safe. Being secure and safe is a basic human need.

However, safety and security can’t be the obstacle to make that one thing, that one song, that is different and real inside of us to never come out. The one song that people would remember before you’re dirt.

One of the rules for this blog meme on thinking different is to tag other bloggers. I hate to guilt people, but I gotta do it. I tag you. What would you do to think different, to think real?