The job isn’t to catch up to the status quo; the job is to invent the status quo.

This quote emphasizes the importance of innovation and originality over conformity. Instead of striving to match or meet the current standards, norms, or conventions (the status quo), one should aim to create them. This implies that one should be a leader rather than a follower, an innovator rather than a conformist.

In essence, Godin is encouraging people to break away from traditional thinking and conventional wisdom in order to shape their own path. The goal isn’t just about reaching the same level as everyone else but about setting new benchmarks for others to follow.

The concept can be applied in numerous ways today. In business, instead of copying what successful companies are doing, it’s more beneficial for organizations to develop unique products or services that set them apart from their competitors. By doing so, they don’t just catch up with the market leaders; they become trendsetters themselves.

In personal development terms, this could mean not simply following societal expectations for success (like getting a high-paying job or owning property) but defining your own version of success based on your values and passions. It’s about creating your own life rules instead of following those set by society.

Moreover, it encourages us not only to adapt ourselves according to existing circumstances but also strive towards reshaping these circumstances according our vision and mission in life – hence ‘inventing’ our own status quo which aligns with our individuality.

this quote promotes leadership over followership; invention over imitation; uniqueness over uniformity – all aimed at creating new standards rather than merely chasing existing ones.