There was an experiment that was conducted in Las Vegas where they put up ropes like you see in a line. No sign, no instruction, no promise of a reward or anything. Just the set of velvet ropes where in between a line can potentially form.
Well guess what… a line did form.
First, one person got in line. Then another and then another. Before you knew it, there was a long row of people just standing in line.
The people who were conducting this experiment went over to the folks in line and asked him: what are you in the line for? Some people were honest and said they didn’t know, but there must be something so that’s why they were in line to see what they get. Other people just started making stuff up – talking up the imaginary things they are waiting for. They were imagining rewards and free things that did not exist. They didn’t want to seem foolish so it was okay in their mind to make stuff up. And guess what, others around them started believing it also when they heard it and now many of them had varying imaginary rewards in their minds that they were waiting for even though there was no sign or promise of that reward anywhere to be found.
What are you going to do?
Are you also going to stand in line?
Even if you’re not sure if you will ever get rewarded for the wait?
Standing in a line like that is much like following the wisdom of the crowd. There’s a potential for a reward. But there’s also an equal potential for disappointment at the end of the line. If you don’t know what you are waiting in line for, I would suggest stepping out of the line and forging your own path.