International Coach Academy

Coach Training School

  • LANGUAGES
    • English
    • Chinese
    • Italian
  • COMMUNITY
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Egypt
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Jordan
    • Lebanon
    • New Zealand
    • Singapore
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan
    • Trinidad Tobago
    • UAE
    • UK
    • USA
  • Contact Us
  • OUR SCHOOL
    • Why ICA?
    • Our School – Our Story
    • Our Team
    • Our Alumni
  • PROGRAMS
    • Training Methodology
    • Coach Certification
    • Become a Coach
      • Advanced Coach (ACTP)
      • Professional Coach (ACTP)
      • Vocational Coach (ACSTH)
    • Add Coach Skills
      • Workplace Coach (ACSTH)
      • Life Design Course (CCE)
      • Group Coaching (CCE)
      • Bridging Programs (Pathway to ACTP)
  • STUDENT LIFE
    • Inside the Classroom
    • Study Schedule
    • Coaching Confidence
    • Your Niche and Model
    • Portfolio Creation
    • Unparallaled Support
  • COACH LIFE
    • ICA Coach Alumni
    • Get A Niche
      • Life Coaching
      • Health Wellness Coaching
      • Leadership Coaching
      • Business Coaching
    • Getting Clients
    • Coaching Demonstrations
    • Coaching Tips
    • Day in the Life of a Coach
    • Community Library
  • FLIPIT
    • A Framework for Change
    • Certified Group Coaching (CCE)
      • FlipIt Facilitation License
    • ICA Power Tools
      • Graduate Power Tools
  • BLOG
    • Graduation Yearbooks
    • Coach Portfolio
      • Power Tools
      • Resources
    • Articles
    • Podcasts
  • Join Login
You are here: Home » COACH PORTFOLIOS » Power Tools » Power Tool: Individuality vs. Conformity

Power Tool: Individuality vs. Conformity

2012/06/02

Sabrina-Sassi-power-tool--600x352

A Coaching Power Tool created by Sabrina Sassi
(Life Coach, SPAIN)

If you believe in yourself, you will gain the confidence of the world around you. Emerson

Reading

As humans our lives are centered on that thin line that separates individuality from conformity. Many times in our daily lives, we are challenged with deciding how far to stray from that line and to which side.

Individuality, meaning:

the quality or character of a person or thing that distinguishes them from others of the same kind.

(Google dictionary) Conformity:

the behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards.

(Google dictionary) Both are essential to us.

Conformity

People look for acceptance and generally desire to being to a group, a community and that is one of our most important goals in life. We naturally want to belong to something bigger by following patterns of behavior established by our families, the education system and community.

Conformity is a form of the social influence that manifests change in belief or behaviour of the individual, in order to blend better into a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving perceived social expectations) pressure.

Conformity can create unbalance when it starts to pressure us, as for example to be as any one else, to think as the group, to act “good”. We all deep down want to belong and conformity gives us a social, political, cultural, ect structure that we need. But it should not set up limitations on individuality.

Individuality

At one point we want to be different from all the rest in one way or another. So we might dress a bit differently and choose to do things we really like. And, for once, we might form our opinions based on what we really feel. However, sooner or later we are forced to curb our spontaneous desires so that society does not label us as eccentric or weird, simply because we fear being alone.

But if we do ignore our individuality, our uniqueness and become this pattern of conformity how could it be possible to feel fulfilled and yourself? Every person is a unique individual and that means that the best way to stand out as different is to become the best possible version of yourself. When you focus on being YOU, there is no competition and no reason to make comparisons. This is the essence of individuality.

Case Study

Sara is a young woman in her early thirties, intelligent and joyful. She works as a writer in a local newspaper. It is a good paid job and she lives close to family and friends. Sara’s dilemma, is that she always dreamt about travelling around the world, discovering cultures and write a book about her journeys. As the years go by she pushes the dream aside for living a life she things is best for her and others. She can almost invest in a new apartment and maybe soon fall in love and build a family, a home. A dear friend of hers came back in town to visit her; she is a photographer for Worldreport. She is travelling all around the world, asking Sara “ When are you going to fulfil your dream?” Sara shared her concerns of not being able to leave her parents, she wants to be close to her sister and hopefully soon buy a new apartment. When her friend asked her if she is really happy,Sara stayed silent. Her friend told her that there are looking for a fresh writer at her job and that Sara should apply.

After her meeting with her dear friend, Sara couldn’t stop dreaming about the travels she could do and all the writing. What if I just do it? She felt this powerful energy in her body and having a big smile. She started to do some researches on the company and found that it reflects her way of working and creativity and that she could be happy fulfilling her dream. But to leave her hometown, to let go her “plan” she felt afraid and that it would be to hard for the others to understand, she would be too different, it is to difficult to explain, but Sara asked herself again: “what if I apply?”

Related Posts

  • Sabrina-Sassi-coaching-model-600x352Coaching Model: The Unique You
  • Research Paper: Black Women, Self-Care, and Safe Coaching Spaces: The Promise of Mindful, Antiracist CoachingResearch Paper: Black Women, Self-Care, and Safe Coaching Spaces: The Promise of Mindful, Antiracist Coaching
  • Power Tool: Affirming vs. NegatingPower Tool: Affirming vs. Negating
  • Coaching Model: ARISECoaching Model: ARISE
  • Research Paper: Accountability in CoachingResearch Paper: Accountability in Coaching
  • Power Tool: I own it vs. I let itPower Tool: I own it vs. I let it
Pages: 1 2

Filed Under: Power Tools Tagged With: coach spain, conformity, individuality, life coach, sabrina sassi

International Coach Academy

Categories

You can connect with us in a variety of ways.
Here's how...

Call Us: Australia: 61 (0) 414 484 328  
Ask Us A Question Click HERE

snail-mail

PO Box 3190 Mentone East, 
Melbourne AUSTRALIA, 3194

Terms and ABN

Terms and condition
Privacy Policy
ABN: 83 094 039 577

Copyright © 2021 · International Coach Academy ·

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.