When I think about the people I’ve met, I can’t think of one person who wants to be ordinary. Yet most people are.
They live lives they despise. They lack adventure or joy.
Their lives are ordinary. And still they do nothing to change it.
You’re not like that though. I know that.
You want to become an extraordinary leader. You want to become an extraordinary husband. You want to become an extraordinary friend.
You want to become an extraordinary person.
How To Become An Extraordinary Person
The good news is you can become a person who isn’t ordinary. You can be someone people look up to and want to emulate.
And it’s really not too hard.
So, what does it take to become extraordinary? Let’s look at 5 ways to become extraordinary:
1. Take risks: People who are doing great things are people who are taking risks.
They know there could possibly be danger ahead. Still, they move forward.
Extraordinary people know the reward is greater than the risk.
2. Get back up after failure: Not only do amazing people know there are going to be risks, they know they’re going to fail.
But when they fail, they get back up. They know they can’t stay down. They also know failure isn’t fatal.
Extraordinary people know you have to get back up after failing.
3. Open your ears: This saying by Epictetus has grown on me:
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak
Ordinary people love to talk about themselves. They’ll spout off their accomplishments or their greatest adventure. They’ll go so far as to hog the whole conversation.
Extraordinary people do the opposite. They open their ears. They listen to the stories of their friends, families, and coworkers.
They take an interest in others. They’re willing to take a backseat so others can feel special.
4. Do something unique: Want to become someone people think is extraordinary? Try doing something unique or challenging.
Not to toot my own horn, but one unique thing I’ve done over the past couple of years is ice climbing in Michigan.
While out on the ice, I get to see landscapes people only dream of. When they hear about this, they’re intrigued and want to know more.
What are you doing that is unique?
Extraordinary people do things other people won’t or are unwilling to do.
5. Be willing to serve: The greatest way to become extraordinary is to have a heart to serve.
Sounds odd, I know… Yet it works.
The most extraordinary man I know is Jesus, of the Bible. His whole life was centered around serving others.
So much so he laid down his life so it could serve a greater good.
You won’t have to go to that extreme, at least I hope you won’t. This doesn’t mean you can’t serve.
Serving takes on many different shapes and sizes.
You can serve by volunteering at your local church. You can serve by handing out food to the homeless. You can serve by becoming a mentor to a young student.
Extraordinary people know they need to help others, so they serve.
Becoming extraordinary isn’t extremely difficult. It simply takes intention.
Are you willing to do the work to become one of the greats?
Question: What area do you need to work on to become extraordinary? Let’s talk about it in the comment section below.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.