The successful entrepreneur, the methamphetamine addict, the renowned artist, the active alcoholic, the housewife, the thief, the politician, the murderer, the physician, the gambler, the baker, the hooker. All of these individuals have something fundamental in common. I believe without exception they are, each and everyone, extraordinary.
Some would value judge and argue some people are better than others. Or, some are more productive and useful members of society. Sure, I believe that’s true depending on which scale you choose to weigh and measure. Yet, if you were to comparatively assay the genes on every strand of DNA in every human alive or dead and tally every individual’s heritable alleles you would discover genetically there are almost no differences between us.
We all start out the same – naked, afraid and helpless. All of us began our journey with a unique set of natural talents and abilities. We were born possessing different ways of looking at the same things. We describe and feel different things differently. In this regard, we are also all the same – unique.
There are no ordinary people. There will never be another exact copy of any one of us ever again on planet earth, or in the entire universe for that matter. The odds of you being you have been estimated to be 400 trillion to one. By the way, 1 trillion seconds = 31,709.70 years.
We are precious and potent potential personified.
So, I am of the opinion we are all extraordinary luminous beings, spectacular in nature, capable of wondrous things at anytime during our brief existence. Or, are we just as apt to lead unintended boring, mediocre, inconsequential lives with little or no meaning? Who determines which?
Is it destiny, or circumstance, or luck, or birthright, or cruel irony which determines the life we will lead? For a relatively few, these may hold sway. For the vast majority, they do not.
As I said, there are no ordinary people. Why then do so many extraordinary people live ordinary, inconsequential lives or even tragic, self-degraded existences? The answer is deceptively simple – Too many extraordinary people making too many ordinary choices.
Too many stop searching. Too many say, “I can’t.” Too many say, “It’s too hard.” Too many feel, “I don’t deserve this.” Too many sit down when they should stand up. Too many resign when they should fight. Too many walk when they should run. All of these extraordinary people making ordinary choices.
The extraordinary, ordinary choosers look at the successful, passionate, happy, fulfilled, resilient and serene people and think “how lucky” they must be. When in reality, it is purely a case of extraordinary people making extraordinary choices for themselves and those they care about.
It could be so for everyone. But, it won’t be. Too many of the extraordinary will be content with ordinary choices in life. Too many more will be discontent but will still choose to maintain the status quo.
Only a relative few will seek a different path. They will create, explore, build, write, and innovate. They will scintillate with passion for a purpose. They are the ones, the extraordinary ones, who have made extraordinary choices. They see nothing out of the ordinary.
There are no ordinary lives, only ordinary choices.
Do you believe you are extraordinary? If not, why not? Or, do you feel you are extraordinary but living an ordinary life of your own choosing?