My last post focused on why some people become extraordinary while most of us do not. What’s their secret?
If you want to be extraordinary, you must do extra – ordinary things with your time and energy.
In order to break free from the ordinary, it’s important to live a life by design versus doing what everyone else is doing by default.
There are three simple steps that you can take to begin your personal journey of becoming extraordinary.
In this post I will focus on the first simple way to becoming extraordinary.
If you want to be extraordinary, you must do extra – ordinary things with your time and energy.
In order to break free from the ordinary, it’s important to live a life by design versus doing what everyone else is doing by default.
There are three simple steps that you can take to begin your personal journey of becoming extraordinary.
In this post I will focus on the first simple way to becoming extraordinary.
1. Begin acquiring mastery of a skill or field outside of your profession.
This process can be extremely powerful – and will likely change your life for the better in any number of ways! Many extraordinarily successful professionals are also experts in a completely separate field or hobby that is independent of their careers. Do you know anyone like this personally? Is this a coincidence? Are the two connected in any way?
Mastery of a subject matter requires exceptional focus and concentration on acquiring the depth of knowledge to become an expert. The mere pursuit of mastery develops self-discipline, critical thinking, and the expansion of a knowledge base that is often transferable to your vocation.
For example, there is some evidence suggesting that schoolchildren who pursue music education eventually perform better in math, science, and overall academic testing and achievement than their peers who do not study music. What is the connection? Do you think this could also apply to business or personal success?
This process can be extremely powerful – and will likely change your life for the better in any number of ways! Many extraordinarily successful professionals are also experts in a completely separate field or hobby that is independent of their careers. Do you know anyone like this personally? Is this a coincidence? Are the two connected in any way?
Mastery of a subject matter requires exceptional focus and concentration on acquiring the depth of knowledge to become an expert. The mere pursuit of mastery develops self-discipline, critical thinking, and the expansion of a knowledge base that is often transferable to your vocation.
For example, there is some evidence suggesting that schoolchildren who pursue music education eventually perform better in math, science, and overall academic testing and achievement than their peers who do not study music. What is the connection? Do you think this could also apply to business or personal success?
As a 20-year part-time martial arts teacher, I have personally witnessed many life-changing success stories that resulted from the pursuit of martial arts mastery. On more than one occasion, I have had adults decide to start their own businesses (in their existing professions) because of the self - confidence they gained from becoming black belts!
Their businesses were more financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling to them than the jobs they left behind. This was never the intended goal of their martial arts training, but for them it was an unexpected benefit.
One extraordinary and well-known individual has essentially made a personal empire from his experiences in mastering skills and hobbies outside of his original vocation! NYT bestselling author, Timothy Ferris’s books, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” “The 4-Hour Body,” and “The 4-Hour Chef,” describe his journeys of mastery, life experiences, and methods of rapid learning—that, for the purpose of this post – underscores the value of mastering hobbies, skills, or fields outside of your profession!
Their businesses were more financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling to them than the jobs they left behind. This was never the intended goal of their martial arts training, but for them it was an unexpected benefit.
One extraordinary and well-known individual has essentially made a personal empire from his experiences in mastering skills and hobbies outside of his original vocation! NYT bestselling author, Timothy Ferris’s books, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” “The 4-Hour Body,” and “The 4-Hour Chef,” describe his journeys of mastery, life experiences, and methods of rapid learning—that, for the purpose of this post – underscores the value of mastering hobbies, skills, or fields outside of your profession!
Do you have an area of interest that you could pursue to mastery? If you do, then know that there has been no better time in history to learn and master something new than now. Because of advances through the Internet, you can easily learn just about any subject matter with ease of access and little to no financial cost to you.
Why use up ALL of your valuable time and energy on ordinary pursuits when you can dedicate some of your time to extra-ordinary efforts and activities? You have interests, curiosities, dreams and wonders. We all do! Who knows what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it—and what those accomplishments will lead you to in life? Isn’t it worth it to you to find out? Start your own journey to becoming extraordinary by acquiring mastery of a skill or field outside of your profession.
Extraordinary American Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, had this to say, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”
...Stay tuned for the second simple way to becoming extraordinary in my next post.
Why use up ALL of your valuable time and energy on ordinary pursuits when you can dedicate some of your time to extra-ordinary efforts and activities? You have interests, curiosities, dreams and wonders. We all do! Who knows what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it—and what those accomplishments will lead you to in life? Isn’t it worth it to you to find out? Start your own journey to becoming extraordinary by acquiring mastery of a skill or field outside of your profession.
Extraordinary American Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, had this to say, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”
...Stay tuned for the second simple way to becoming extraordinary in my next post.
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