And here's the thing – nobody dreams of being average.

You don't wake up hoping to:
 

Yet that's exactly what happens when you follow everyone else's playbook.

Chris's approach is different.

Be radically different. Be meaningfully different.

His strategy? Create a ban list.

Write down what everyone in your space is:
 

How are they showing up? What colors and fonts dominate their designs? What's their visual language?

Then avoid all of it.

Ban those choices as options.

Here's what Chris believes:

If you want to stand out, stop trying so hard to blend in.

Stop copying what everyone else is doing just because it seems to work for them.

According to Chris, most people are building a "personal bland" instead of a personal brand.

The difference?

One makes you forgettable. The other makes you unforgettable.

So here's his challenge for you:

What's one thing everyone in your industry does that you could completely avoid or do the opposite of?

What would your ban list look like?

I'd love to hear what you come up with.

Best,
Carrie
The Futur Team

P.S. Remember: The goal isn't to be different for the sake of being different. It's to be meaningfully different in a way that serves your audience better.