March to the Beat of a Different Drummer

Etymology:

• In a marching band, all the members follow the drum. On the contrary, the person who follows differently than normal in life is one who follows his own drum beat by the drummer. The life of the person is according to his own rules. A writer and a naturalist Henry David Thoreau popularized this expression in the middle of 19th century. He was a strong believer of individual rights. He settled the example of the rights as he lived in a single-room cottage on the shores of Walden Pond located in Massachusetts for two years to closely observe the nature.