You’re not a Minority, you’re part of the Elite
This week, racism reared its ugly head both nationally and close to home. Nationally, with the appointment of a (yes, believe it or not) Indian Chief Executive to New Zealand’s national airline, which triggered surprising outrage in some quarters. And locally, when a friend of mine was physically assaulted at a busy intersection and told to “go back to where he came from.”
How many of us have been made to feel small?
Small in number.
Small in influence.
Small in power.
It happens all the time. In schools, in workplaces, in social settings and in society at large. We look around and realise we don’t dress the same, act the same, speak the same, socialise the same or value the same things. Through these mostly implicit, and sometimes explicit, experiences, we start to see ourselves as “the other”. As the minority. As somehow “less”.
Reframing what it means to be “few”
A friend said something to me recently that was so obvious, yet so insightful: “We’re not small. We’re the elite.”
It stopped me in my tracks.
Think about it. Who holds most of the world’s wealth? A handful. Who’s sent on high-stakes, specialised missions? A select few. Who stands on Olympic podiums or graduates with top honours? Very few.
And yet, we don’t call these people minorities. We call them the elite.
We celebrate their difference as exceptional. But when that difference comes in the form of ethnicity, faith, gender or culture (even if the capability is there) the label shifts.
Just like elite athletes or professionals who go the extra mile, many people from underrepresented backgrounds do the same, often twice over. Once to prove they deserve to be there and only then to be recognised for their actual skills and contributions.
Even then, the source of their strength is rarely attributed to their upbringing, lived experience, culture, faith or values. The very things that shaped them are often ignored in favour of a generic label of “resilience” or “empathy”.
What if we stopped seeing ourselves as “less than” and started seeing ourselves as the elite?
Feeling outnumbered? Stick with it!
Maybe you feel like the odd one out in your workplace. Like you’re the only one holding the line when others are bending it. The only parent on the sideline not yelling at the ref. The only voice in the room saying “no” when everyone else says “yes”.
That’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of clarity.
Because the world is often upside-down. It applauds rebellion and punishes responsibility. It praises the loudest voice, not always the wisest. It tells you to do what feels good, not what is good. And when you choose otherwise, you can feel isolated or outdated.
But think of the 16-year-old Olympic gold medallist. You don’t think they felt isolated when their friends were partying and they were in bed early to train three times a day? That discomfort? That isolation? That sacrifice?
That’s where growth lives.
The test of ease
It’s easy to think real challenges only show up in hard times. But sometimes the biggest challenge is when life is smooth. When you have options. Stability. Freedom.
That’s when comfort can lull you into complacency. That’s when entitlement starts to edge out gratitude.
And, while some of our burdens are unavoidable, many of us carry ones we've chosen. We work long hours to sustain lifestyles we feel pressured to maintain. We take on debt for things we hope will make us feel fulfilled. We sacrifice health, time and family for institutions that don’t even know our names or those of our children or where we live.
The antidote? Gratitude.
Not the shallow, public-performer “I just want to thank my Mom” kind. The real, gritty, private kind. The kind that reminds you what actually matters. The kind that grounds you in your values when everything else says, "play the game."
The kind that says: show up anyway. Because gratitude is an action, not just a nice word.
So, what now?
If you’re tired of feeling like the “only one” holding it together while others coast or cut corners, here’s my challenge to you: Hold the line.
Keep being the example, even if no one notices (yet). Stay true to your values, even when the crowd moves the other way. Remind yourself: you’re not a martyr. You’re not naive.
You’re part of something small, something elite.
Final reflection
If you're feeling pulled, stretched or tempted to just go along with it all, pause and ask:
Where in my life am I being nudged to compromise?
What do I stand for, even if it costs me?
Am I living as a fragmented version of myself, or showing up whole?
The world may not always celebrate your integrity. But your future self will.
And if enough of us stay the course, no matter how small our circle, the ripple effects are real. Because all change starts with a courageous few who refuse to give up who they are.
And for those of us who may not make up the elite, remember, every Olympian needs a cheerleader and a support crew. Let’s each play our part.
