Do you Suffer from “The Herd” Mentality?
October 2nd, 2009 | 43 comments
I would say that about 95% or more of those who try to make money online have “The Herd” Mentality. When I first got into Internet Marketing about 5 years ago I frequently visited and took part in discussions over at the Warrior Forum. Back then I was a part of a private forum inside the Warrior Forum. I forget the exact name, but it was something like “The Herd Mentality” and it was basically supposed to be a place where “elite” marketers could basically talk about “elite” stuff lol
It was a JOKE! 99% of the people in that forum HAD the herd mentality and weren’t anywhere close to being “elite,” but the purpose of the forum was excellent and there were a select few members who did “get it” and I learned from them. The problem was that I was one of the few who had the ability to separate those with that mindset from those without that mindset.
So what is “The Herd” Mentality anyway?
When it comes to success, there are typically two types of people; those who follow (the herd) and those who lead. A leader isn’t just a leader of people, he is a leader of his life! Followers CAN and sometimes do find success financially but it’s very rare and normally takes much longer than it takes a leader to find equal success.
Some people will say “we all need to be followers in the beginning.” My answer to that is NO, we don’t! There is a difference between a “follower” and a “student.” A student can be a leader, but a follower is never a leader. We all need to be students in the beginning, not followers.
Followers make up the population of the “Herd” and they all have the same basic characteristics when it comes to seeking success. They aren’t particularly dumb. Some of them are even geniuses. They aren’t particularly lazy. Some are extremely hard workers. They simply have a totally different mindset than that of a leader.
In my experience, the main things that cause a leader to succeed at a much higher rate than a follower are optimism and drive! They don’t see failure as a dead end, but merely a speed bump in the path to success. However, it’s more than just that. As I mentioned, it’s a totally different mindset.
“The Herd” Mentality is NOT incurable!
I don’t care WHO you are, you can be a leader in your own life. You control your mind and your own mentality is a choice! But you can’t just flip a switch and “poof” you’re a leader. You need to want it! The next time you come across a situation in which you do not know the answer, whether online or offline, remember this post. How will you handle the situation?
A follower will ask anyone and everyone he or she thinks might know the answer. If he doesn’t get an answer he’ll either quit or put it off until he can get an answer from someone.
A leader will start off the same way. He will ask people who he thinks may know. But if that doesn’t work he’ll use logic and determination to find a solution! A leader doesn’t worry about going “against the grain” while a follower will argue to the end that they are right because someone in a forum told them so! To a leader “proof” means they’ve experienced it to be true. To a follower “proof” means they’ve heard it to be true!
If you think you may be a part of the herd, change your mindset and I promise you it will change your life!
Don’t be a follower. Be a leader. Remember, it IS a choice!
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2nd October, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Thank you for pointing out the difference between being a student and being a follower. Being a leader does not mean going off half-cocked on your own ideas before checking with others and then with your own guidance. Learn the methods, integrate them and, most importantly, stay the course! That’s something I am forcing myself to work on with my passive income efforts.
2nd October, 2009 at 5:34 pm
really i support your fact ideas and i am among the people who believe that the leader is better than a follower
2nd October, 2009 at 5:35 pm
sure josh
i’ll do exactly what you say cause i need to be a leader too!
thanks for the post always good reading
tom
2nd October, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Another great post. I would have to say that I fall somewhere in between. It is possible to be both. Learn from those who are good at what they do, and teach others what you are good at. Just use common sense! Seek out the experts in your niche, avoid the latest and greatest money making craze, and take action. Celebrate your victories and learn from your mistakes.
2nd October, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Every one just likes to be a leader
2nd October, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Then why do you want us to follow you on Twitter Josh?
Just kidding.
So the difficult thing though is to change
our mindset. Are there any other questions than “How will you handle the situation?” or any other specific ways to help us change our mindset and become a leader?
Thank you! That was another great post.
Andreas
2nd October, 2009 at 6:12 pm
This post can also lead us to the IM world: Don’t follow blindly on the latest make-money-online product or the “gurus”. In the end, you are just chasing your own tail.
2nd October, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Hi Josh,
Great post. You are 100% right. And I love the way you differentiated between a student and a follower. This what you have written here is old wisdom. Its something my grandmother told me when i was very young. She said that there were 2 types of individuals in this world. Leader and followers. You’re either a sheep or a shepherd. Always be a shepherd she advised. I kept that with me all these years. I smiled when I saw your picture of the sheep. It took me back instantly. Like you said its all about mindset. How you truly see yourself. Subconsciously. Only leader have the real potential to succeed. mainly because being successful and or running your own business requires leadership skills and self discipline. Gonna tweet this Josh. Good stuff. Excellent! Say it like Mr Burns from the Simpsons.
2nd October, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Dude — you are on fire with great post lately. Your idea of student versus follower is spot on. In my day job we reward leaders. People who never show the initiative to lead survive in mediocrity. Thanks for reminder that people need to take responsibility for their own outcomes.
Mark
2nd October, 2009 at 6:16 pm
You are perfectly right in the ‘student’ and ‘follower’ idea. I am a true student and know without a doubt that with the info I get from a select few, I too, will become not only a leader, but successful online.
thanks again
2nd October, 2009 at 6:22 pm
You’ve nailed it on the head there Josh. There was a recent thread on the Warrior Forum where the original poster almost gave away his entire method for making money online. He ended by saying that you don’t need to worry too much about the details, just do it, track what works and what doesn’t, and ammend as required. There then folowed hundreds of posts asking questions about the details, instead of implementing the plan and tweaking based on their results.
Steve.
2nd October, 2009 at 7:32 pm
You are absolutely right that we must be a student at the beginning not a follower. Everyone can be a leader as long as you have the determine and passion to do so. I support in your ideas. Keep up the great post.
2nd October, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Hey Josh,
I just got an email from you because apparently I’m on one of your lists. I’ll tell you, I’m on so many that I can’t keep track anymore and I seem to be spending too much time just deleting them. If I’m deleting them and not reading them what’s the point.
That’s why I went mental this morning and unsubscribed to a bunch of them. Not yours though as I just got it a few minutes ago. I’m glad you weren’t in this morning’s madness because I would have missed out on your blog. Now I’ve only had time to read this one post but as time goes on I will be browsing around.
I must say I completely agree with your take on “The Herd” mentality. I have been a student for a couple years now because there’s just so much to learn about this business. And I will admit that for a while I had the follower mentality but only for lack of knowledge.
I’d like to think that I am a leader. Throughout my entire life I’ve had a lot of different jobs as I moved around a lot and had to start near the bottom most of the time. But it never took me long to surpass all my co-workers and end up being their leader(don’t like the term boss).
So anyways Josh, thanks for sending me that email today and inviting me to your blog before I went on my unsubscribe parade. I look forward to coming back on a regular basis to see what thoughts you have to offer.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
2nd October, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Great post.
Going hand-in-hand with what you wrote, is that followers don’t take responsibility for their own actions and decisions. For example, ff they fail, it’s someone else’s fault. To Stephen’s example, the followers wait for someone else to provide the information rather than doing what they need to do to get the information themselves.
A leader accepts full responsibility for every action or decision s/he makes. “They” aren’t responsible for holding a leader back. “They” aren’t keeping a leader from pursuing and ultimately achieving success. Once you understand this, it’s almost magical how even seemingly unsurmountable obstacles become less formidable, the path less steep.
2nd October, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I’m not proud of my reason for not following the herd. It’s not that I am optimistic or innovative, I am just plain pig-headed and have to do things my own way. And I’m so often wrong!
2nd October, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Hey Josh, cool post and it’s not just in the IM field. What about believing the media and every sales person who ever crosses our paths (not saying it’s or they’re all wrong).
Its important to continually question, find out for yourself and create your own reality.
Good post – Thanks
Allen
2nd October, 2009 at 8:58 pm
‘There is a difference between a “follower†and a “student.†‘ I love that.
I’m not so sure that you need to be driven. Curious will do as long as you implement what you learn I think.
2nd October, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Hey Josh,
Great Post, I agree.
We are either leaders or followers, it IS a choice. I liked also how one comment said you are either the sheep or the shepard.
We all “could” be shepards… but then who would be the sheep. *grins*. I’m glad we have both. We rely on each other, wouldn’t you say?
3rd October, 2009 at 2:39 am
Josh I think you are a leader. But I have to disagree with you on this. You need followers everyone needs followers. If it was not for followers we would have no armies…no soldiers to direct them to a better world etc…. Yes most successful people are leaders but without followers they are essentially dead. This goes for all businesses online and offline. Just my thoughts on this.
Paul…
3rd October, 2009 at 8:04 am
So, so true Josh. Also, leaders will set goals and review them regularly to ensure they’re on target. A follower knows she/he should set goals (because they have been told to set goals) but doesn’t really stick at them!
I’ve been reading a really interesting book recently; “The Answer” by John Assaraf and Murray Smith. I highly recommend any keen leader to read the book as it will completely set your mindset properly. The book makes effective use of meditation techniques to help you focus on the goals you really want.
All the best
Si
3rd October, 2009 at 8:51 am
When I started out, I have to admit that I was one of the herd. I quit Internet marketing because of my own stupidity. Today is a different story, I started at the beginning and immersed myself with everything about Internet marketing.
Your post made me realized the mistakes I’ve done in the past and it will continue to inspire me always. Thanks for writing this stuff.
3rd October, 2009 at 10:53 am
I don’t think of myself as being any of them: I don’t follow the “gurus” but I ‘d rather people don’t take my advice as gospel because what I’d really like to do is use my brain to find a genuine money-making idea so I’m experimenting and making mistakes as I go along.
I guess what I am is just a very stubborn, selfish solo player.
3rd October, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Very true. There those who lead and those who are leaded. It is not only in the internet marketing it is the principle of life.
3rd October, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Most comments start with “Great post.”. Isn’t that the heard mentality?
j/k
Josh, I get what you say, but I think this dividing people to 2 groups is not the best way to look at it. It’s dangerous because it can turn into “holier than though” mindset. I mean, everybody is a sheep in certain ways, whether you know it or not. By looking at herd mentality on wikipedia, I see it’s “how large numbers of people act in the same ways at the same times.”
For example, If I say “people can not resist controversy” – that’s the herd mentality. You can fight against this, but you’ll fell yourself for that during your lifetime for sure. I don’t think it’s healthy to look at herd mentality as something completely negative. It’s important to realize this exists, and use it in your marketing.
Who hasn’t watched a movie just because there was some controversy around it?
4th October, 2009 at 1:18 am
I think a lot of this has to be thinking about the mentality of starting your own business that you run personally and for reasons of your own. Just blindly following everything to the letter isn’t a great way to run a business. You have to see it as your work, not just copying some blue print. Good post.
Shane “Master” Dayton
4th October, 2009 at 8:00 am
I totally agree with this post though I must admit that in the beginning I was a follower until I wasn’t seeing the expected results the “gurus” had been blabbing about.
Example: Using logic, I’ve come to understand that people are most likely to click on an ad after they’ve read an article and not before as most “experts” claim. I’ve shifted my adsense to the end of each post and believe me you, I’m getting at least 2 clicks a day whereas I was getting nothing in weeks using the Top adsense location.
Also I’ve been working on increasing my alexa rank using a very obvious method that most folks haven’t seemed to notice because they all believe it has to do with the alexa toolbar. My experiment is 16 days away from getting published.
Newbies should try to take ideas and tweak them. You never know what the result maybe and then you become a leader overnight
@Stephen: Could you please be kind enough as to leave a link to that Warrior Forum thread you’re referring to? It never hurts to read other people’s ways of making money online.
@Jeff Sargent: Don’t waste your time unsubscribing them cos they’ll automatically resubscribe you without you knowing. It’s one of the secrets revealead in Sylvie Fortin’s Internet Marketing Secrets. Just send them to your spam folder. I’ve done that to almost every one of them BUT a few keep escaping the spam folder.
Lord knows I was this close to adding Josh to my spam folder then I remembered he wasn’t amongst those spamming my box with sales pitches 2 times a day, 5 days of the week.
4th October, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Another great post Josh.
You summed up in one post what I’ve been trying to say for a long time.
I’m not crazy about the term “guru” and have no time to listen to those who put themselves above the rest of us.
We have countless examples in history of sheep who’ve blindly followed their leader right off a cliff. (ie: Nazi Germany, Jonestown and even sayings like “change you can believe in”)
So we need more leaders who also understand that with leadership comes responsibility. That responsibility is huge. What is it?
A good leader walks his talk and always remembers that he/she has a moral and ethical obligation to act in the best interest of those who might be watching.
Again thanks for the great post.
“Mad Guy”
5th October, 2009 at 7:13 am
I think we all have that group think going on. Very hard to break out of it.
Leaders are not made, they are born. It is in the blood.
5th October, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Most people behave like sheep because it takes less effort than being a leader and it’s more comforting in the short-term. People are essentially lazy, so they will, by default, follow the path of least resistance.
If you want to succeed, you have to think and learn about stuff, use your common sense, keep positive and not give up, but at the end of the day you have to do what you believe to be the right thing to do, not what every other Tom, Dick and Harry thinks is the right thing for you to do.
5th October, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Josh,
Great writeup!
I would agree that you have to be a student and not a follower. However in order to become a leader, you must have confidence, not only in what you are learning, but in being willing to fail.
Great leaders weren’t born, they became.
Take what you learn, put it into practice and experiment. What might be working well for someone else might not work for you.
Don’t be afraid to fail in IM, just be sure to take what you learn and tweek it or keep trying.
5th October, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I actually teach leadership for a living. A question I always ask my students is “can you learn to be a leader or is it something you are born with”. Just curious to see what anyone things.
6th October, 2009 at 12:56 am
I agree with Gary. For many people if they have the choice, they will be so lazy that they can die from it. I have to say that going through the bumps, one after another, is very challenging and as you mentioned Josh, that what separates the leader category from the herd category. However, we do need some herd to follow otherwise how you are going to have leaders!?
7th October, 2009 at 8:47 am
“A leader will start off the same way. He will ask people who he thinks may know. But if that doesn’t work he’ll use logic and determination to find a solution!”
I love this Josh! I would have to say that my logic and determination have been the two most important factors in helping me achieve my goals.
Interestingly I don’t consider myself an optimist, indeed I’m more of a ‘what is the worst case scenario’ type with back up plans for all natural disasters, lol! At the end of the day though my determination always sees me plow through the brick walls.
Great post!
12th October, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Great post Josh, just came across your blog and have enjoyed looking around.
This post is spot on and inorder to be successful you need to lead not follow. We are the makers of our own destiny’s.
Thanks again Josh.
12th October, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Josh,
I agree with the fact that people need to start out as students, that is true. People have to learn when they encounter something new, however, it’s important for students to remember that at some point you have to take action. Reading and learning are key elements to success, but until you take action they won’t amount to much.
I think in addition to the “herd” mentality standing in people’s way there is also “perfectionism”. People seem to think they have to know everything before they can get started, everything has to be perfect before they can publish, they need to have a feeling of guaranteed success before they can take action, and all of this leads to continued student behavior.
At some point you have to not only be a student but you have to start taking action on what you’ve learned.
14th October, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Breaking away from the herd takes risk, this is hard for most to do. If your not to far from the starting gates what do you have to lose? Staying with the herd is safe, but every once and a while see how it feels to move to the front.
Regards
26th October, 2009 at 3:08 am
I was with the herd for awhile. It definitely has its perks, but now I’m on my own. It was tough at first, but persistence pays off.
29th October, 2009 at 11:49 pm
The message is amazingly simple but true. It’s like back in the day when it was mostly dudes in lesbian chat rooms. People have a tendency to fake what they are not. At the same time, it’s also a blessing that it’s harder online than mostly people think it is. It makes it so that not everyone in the herd is rushing out there to really accomplish what they need to.
30th October, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Just found your blog and thought I’d pop in.
Following the herd and trying to break away is very hard to do, however when you do you really begin to think differently about business ventures.
1st November, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I have done this too. It takes some time to be comfortable with leading in the niche your in. It takes experience. If you try to lead when you have no idea what your talking about you just look stupid.
Good leaders in turn promote further leadership from the herd.
Thanks Josh!
2nd November, 2009 at 1:36 pm
You are absolutely right that we must be a student at the beginning not a follower. Everyone can be a leader as long as you have the determine and passion to do so. I support in your ideas. Keep up the great post.
2nd November, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Thank you for those words of wisdom, Josh! I’ve found it to be true that those who lead get things done. Those who follow merely observe those who get things done.
17th November, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Nice work Josh.
So true. One step at a time is the fastest way to make it online – in my humble opinion – if only “the herd” knew that frsh ideas is what leads to success online.
Regards,