Why Weirdos Win: Embracing Your Sloth Superpower

This weekend I was on a podcast interview, and the host—very candidly—said, “No offense, but you’re kind of an odd duck.” I laughed. Not because I was offended, but because I’d heard it before. And honestly? I take it as a compliment.

Why? Because over the years, I’ve had the chance to be around a lot of ultra-successful people. The more I got to know them, the more I realized they were weird. Like, really weird. But that’s also what made them successful.

You see, the term “weird” just means “different from the norm.” And in a world full of carbon copies and trends, different is exactly what you want to be.

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The Sloth Superpower

I tell this story in my trainings and wrote about it in my book No One Prays for the Lion. I once watched a documentary on sloths—yes, sloths. I expected to be bored out of my mind, but I learned something powerful: sloths move so slowly that predators in the canopy can’t detect them. Their greatest strength is the opposite of what society tells us is valuable.

Think about that. While the world tells us to be fast, flashy, and always grinding, sloths win by being still, strategic, and unbothered. And they live a long time—20 to 50 years in the wild—all because they’re authentically themselves.

You have that same sloth superpower. It may not be trendy or go viral. But it’s something unique to you. And if you embrace it, it can carry you further than any gimmick or shortcut ever will.

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What Makes You “Too Much” Is Your Greatest Advantage

People love to tell us what we’re “too much” of.

Too loud. Too intense. Too quiet. Too methodical.

But what if those things are exactly what make you great?

For me, I’ve been told I have a unique way of tying stories to life lessons. So I doubled down on that. That’s why I write books, give keynotes, host a podcast. It’s my thing. And I’ve found peace and purpose in owning that lane.

You don’t have to create the next Facebook. You don’t have to be a tech wizard or a business mogul. You just have to be you—fully and unapologetically.

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What’s the Cost of Being a Diluted Version of You?

Ask yourself: What do I gain by not being the best version of myself?

What do I gain by dumbing myself down to fit in?

The answer is: Nothing.

Every time we shrink to fit a mold, we rob ourselves of opportunity. We miss out on the chance to connect with the people and the opportunities aligned with who we really are.

You ever leave a conversation thinking, Why didn’t I speak up? or Why did I act like I wasn’t smart enough?

Yeah. That feeling? That’s what happens when you dilute your greatness.

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How to Start Winning by Being You

Here’s the truth: Winning doesn’t always go to the fastest, strongest, or loudest. Sometimes, it goes to the one who holds on the longest. And the only sustainable way to hold on is to be authentically you.

So today, do this:

• Identify the thing people say you’re “too much” of.

• Ask yourself if that could actually be your lane.

• Stop diluting yourself to fit where you don’t belong.

• Start doubling down on what makes you different.

If you embrace your sloth superpower—your unique skill, talent, or approach—you'll win. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But you’ll outlast. And in life, that’s what counts.