An inspiration from Buckminster Fuller and a message to every misfit on the planet

I had the privilege recently to attend an informal presentation by Jaime Snyder; grandson of Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller.

If you’re unfamiliar with Bucky Fuller, he was a true visionary: philosopher, designer, poet, architect, artist, engineer, entrepreneur, author, mathematician, teacher and inventor.

It was astounding to hear some of the more personal aspects of Bucky’s life and notice so many similarities to my own experience and those of my friends and colleagues; maybe even yours. Read on.

In his 30’s, already a proven “failure” at numerous pursuits (including flunking out of Harvard twice: first for spending all his money partying with a vaudeville troupe, and then, after having been readmitted, for his "irresponsibility and lack of interest"), bankrupt, jobless, living in public, low-income housing, and drinking frequently due to the death of his young daughter, he sat on the edge of Lake Michigan and seriously contemplated “ending it all.” He believed that his wife and second child would have better opportunities without him due to his failed attempts to succeed in life.

Then, he had another thought: If he did only things that truly inspired him instead of his former approach (which obviously wasn’t working), maybe the outcome would be different. At that moment he chose to embark on "an experiment, to find what a single individual [could] contribute to changing the world and benefiting all humanity."

Like many of us, Bucky was first driven by a focus on money. It’s a common experience based on systematic social conditioning. Inherently, there’s nothing wrong with that focus; it just wasn’t his priority. With the passage of time, however, in part, it led him to contemplate suicide.

He recognized that a focus on money—because it wasn’t a part of his personal agenda—and putting his attention on what others thought was important—instead of following his own bliss—wasn’t in alignment with making his greatest contribution. He could never achieve personal excellence within the confines of the existing model. As history eventually revealed, he would thrive outside convention. His lakeside inner guide was spot-on. (After all, life is a grand experiment; why not approach it as such?)

It doesn’t even occur to us to question the model. It doesn’t even occur to us that there are alternatives to conforming. It doesn’t even occur to us that to shine as brilliantly as possible, we might have to navigate our own way; meaning we follow no one and no thing. We might have to create a solitary path that paves the way for others.

By his own appraisal, Bucky was a “non-conforming misfit.” Does this sound familiar to you? If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s very likely you’re a non-conforming misfit, too.

So, what’s the point? What’s the big takeaway here?

1. Every misfit has been discouraged to the point of taking dramatic action.

Whether it’s suicide, or an abrupt or uncharacteristic decision about a move, a relationship, business, or your health, you know when you’ve had enough of what is. You simply cannot take any more. Your “sponge is full” and you cannot live one more minute within your current circumstances; you can’t, and you won’t.

Life has interesting ways of presenting enormous opportunity; it may even be packaged in despair. Quite effective, it finally gets our full attention, although there may have been signals of misalignment for years. When we’re done; fully saturated; fully convinced that we’ve tried everything; that’s the moment fresh possibilities surface to grab our focus and set us off in a new, inspired direction.

2. Every misfit has felt alone in defining and/or delivering her unique message.

You and life collaborated to create a moment of decision; this is one of your great life opportunities to shine. After the realization that there may be options you hadn’t previously explored, now what? As if you weren’t overwhelmed before! Hmph.

Now that you’ve determined your best options are based in following your own inner drummer, it’s likely you’ll spend your time discovering your passions (if you haven’t already), find more ways to nurture and be kind to yourself, send the inner critic on vacation, invest in some down-home soul searching, explore the many ways to enjoy what is, and simply be.

Inspirations come with allowing; not planning, strategizing and acting, as so many of us have been taught. When you’re wholly aligned with who you are and intimately knowledgeable of your unique gifts, the rest will naturally present itself in response to your alignment. The Way will be made known to you. It must; it’s a Universal Law.

3. Every misfit has felt overwhelmed at some point in figuring out the how of making his finest contribution to humanity.

When you follow no model, you are ever creating in-the-moment. You may have no idea if what you’re doing makes any sense. You may have no idea if your inspirations are a few or hundreds of years before their “time.” You may have no proven methods of implementation. Upon implementation, you may have no universally-agreed-on measure of “success.” At best, you may have no or few supporters. At worst, you could be persecuted or ostracized for acting on your convictions.

Every effort is based in inspiration. You may have no idea how—after the investment of precious resources of time, money, effort, passion, and drive—or if, all your efforts will eventually enrich humanity. After all, life’s a grand experiment!



In conclusion, misfit, this is my heartfelt message to you:

Misfit, you may never achieve personal excellence within the confines of the existing model. You probably weren’t meant to. Create your haven—and thrive—outside convention. Embark on an experiment to find out what a single individual (you!) can contribute to changing the world and benefiting all humanity. As a misfit, that’s most likely your calling.

Misfit, wear the term as a badge of honor, for it requires a tremendous amount of courage to be a leader; a visionary; a pioneer; a lightbearer; a path maker; an entrepreneur.

Misfit, regardless of how lost, lonely, or scared silly you might ever feel on this journey, you are never alone. There are misfits everywhere, lurking among the masses, trying to figure out their own ways to change the world and benefit humanity. Make it your mission to find them!