What is it that makes some people become extraordinary? Why is having an extraordinarily interesting personality or lifestyle so rare? How do some people achieve extraordinary career, financial, or relationship success in their lives, while the majority of us do not? Who even has the time, resources, and energy to accomplish so much in their lives anyway? Surely they must have some natural advantages, or have been given a head start in life!
To be fair, without a life by design, most of us end up in a rut by either letting circumstances dictate our choices, or by doing the ordinary things that most people we interact with tend to do as well. Subconsciously, we gravitate toward heard behavior as a natural part of socialization into society, and a way to comfortably fit into our social and work circles. In short, we tend to default to what everyone else does – the ordinary. Investing your time into ordinary activities and actions will inevitably lead to ordinary results.
Do you find all of your after work time eaten up by a never-ending stream of commitments and daily activities? For example, maybe you spend the vast majority of your weekends trekking across your state for travel soccer, hockey, or baseball tournaments. Perhaps you have golf league, or neighborhood association/PTA meetings followed by a scheduled social commitment to watch the big game (you may even have to dig up a creative recipe for a dish to pass!). Of course, there are always household chores, renovation or fix-up projects, and a continual stream of urgent interruptions that demand all of your remaining time and energy. At the end of your day, you can barely manage to watch a few re-runs of your favorite sitcom, reality TV show, or ESPN sports center. “Such is life,” you rationalize.
In moderation, any of these examples can be viewed as a healthy or necessary part of daily life in America. In your case, however, is it by design, habit, or because everyone else does it that way? Do you have a child athletic prodigy that demands a professional athlete’s training regimen, or do you just end up squandering your personal resources and energy in this way simply because your friends and neighbors are all doing it (maybe your child could benefit more by focusing on something else too!)?
Watching your favorite sports team on TV is an enjoyable outlet for many of us, but do you have to watch every game, all day long, followed by the day’s highlights and the endless after game commentary and debate? Is being a walking encyclopedia of every sports trivia fact advancing your goals or helping you realize your true potential?
“Keeping up with the Kardashians” can be an enjoyable indulgence from time to time, but is it necessary to track their every move and read about their latest scandals in the tabloids too? I know this can be soothing in the short term, but isn’t there a similarly enjoyable activity to invest your time into that will be more rewarding to you over the long term?
Do you really prefer being a spectator (actually a customer) of other people who are experiencing extraordinary lives –or would you rather pursue actions that lead you to enjoying an extraordinary lifestyle yourself?
Do you really prefer being a spectator (actually a customer) of other people who are experiencing extraordinary lives –or would you rather pursue actions that lead you to enjoying an extraordinary lifestyle yourself?
If you want to be extraordinary, by definition - you must do “Extra – Ordinary” things with your time and energy! Makes sense, doesn’t it? Now, where do you start?
In my upcoming posts, I will identify three simple ways to becoming extraordinary that you can immediately begin to implement, which will start your journey toward creating a more rewarding and extraordinary life for yourself.
Stay tuned!
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