Ever seen someone choose the most unusual mix on the menu just because “they’ve never tried it”? The diversified man is that one. He will concoct salsa from lychees and anchovies or blend jalapeños with peanut butter. He smiles and wears varying colored socks for a different reason. It has not to do with shock value. From food to music to people, he actually yearns for diversify guy.
Some of us take solace in repeating, in following the same old path, ordering vanilla every time, and nodding in time to that reliable radio hit. Still, the diversify guy finds himself poking into every alley. What would happen if…? he wonders. More than coffee could, curiosity drives him.
Use his reading list, for instance. It might swing by cookery then turn to manga from astrophysics to poetry. He occasionally dips his toes in every intellectual pond merely to feel the temperature on them. Friday night is not predictable for him. One week is Bollywood dance classes; next is a ceramics workshop attended by retired people. Let’s just say you never know if his supper table will feature noodles or books.
Why is the fixation with variety? He has seen what occurs with still water. Change brings pleasure. Surprises, not the garnish, are, he thinks, the spice of life. He created fresh Monopoly rules once, during a board game night. Nobody prevailed, but everyone laughed till their ribs started to pain. Though occasionally chaos accompanies him, boredom never does.
People like the diverse guy create interesting conversation material. They bring tales from many walks, turning the script on little chat. Chances are you have encountered someone exactly like him if you have ever known someone who can simultaneously discuss Siberian tigers, homemade incense, and Japanese mystery fiction.
The secret is, though, His adventurous nature is not merely party entertainment. It helps destroy preconceptions and create links across worlds that seldom cross. He challenges colleagues in a workplace to examine the “why” behind the “way it’s always been,” advocate fresh ideas, and trade tasks. Often at home, he is the guy advocating novel customs like Thanksgiving pizza.
Living as the diversified guy means you eat a lot of strange food and have some dubious yearbook hairstyles, of course, but the memories are more important. Grand. Just in case we don’t, he advises the rest of us to challenge conventions, welcome freaks, and try that thing we are sure we would detest.
Hang onto the diversify man you have on your staff. He will carry you outside your comfort zone. Sometimes kicking and screaming. One thing is certain, though: your life will never be monotonous whether you wind yourself at a didgeridoo workshop or a Peruvian restaurant next Friday.