The way to being extraordinary 2

First steps on the way to extraordinary

Extraordinary seems to be out there, far away, but it’s not. It’s right here in front of you. Your life is full of choices, small mundane, like what to eat next, if to go out for a run, a swim, a walk or more significant, life-changing choices. Such as what to study in university or who to marry and how.

Whatever the choice, you have a choice about it.

You can chose to do what everyone else does, or do it your way. Doing it your way, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s different than everyone else. It simply means you reflect on the implications of your choice and how they influence other people, your health or the future of the next generation, to name just a few examples. You then exercise your freedom to choose and do things in a specific way.

That is the beginning of extraordinary.

What’s next?

Everything we do and how we do it has numerous implications, most of us usually don’t take the time to consider. It may also be impossible for us to consider most of them. What if you did though?

What if you did take the time to consider the consequences, as many of them as you can, to yourself and others? It could change your choice. It could make a difference in how you live your life and what that means for those around you.

I believe that’s where ‘extraordinary’ starts, in every little or big choice you make and the way you make it. What you consider when making your choices makes all the difference and starts you on the way to extraordinary, but it’s not enough to get you there.

Extraordinary Integrity

Once you’ve made your choice, Integrity with yourself and others is key for any progress towards extraordinary. This basically means walking your talk. Being truthful and transparent. When you choose something you then have to go about doing what you chose to do.

That’s usually the hard part. Making an extraordinary choice, demands intention and attention, but it’s the doing that’s the hard part. Coherence and consistency in your actions relative to your choices is the next part of the extraordinary equation and it can take time, persistence, and resilience depending on the choice.

Being extraordinary implies being accountable to yourself and others on a long-term basis.

Here’s a quote from a wonderful book about this, The way of Integrity: “Contemplating integrity as a way of life is like deciding to leave your homeland and become a citizen of a new country: it involves a major identity shift”
― Martha Beck, The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self