How to stop being average and become extraordinary

Unless you want to be average

I’m guessing you don’t want to be average. You probably want to move ahead of those around you. We all do, no one wants to be left behind.

There’s two ways to have the biggest building in town. Tear everyone else’s building down, or build a bigger building.

While most people won’t admit it, usually we settle to tear others down. It’s a terrible option that we shouldn’t choose.

So, how do we get ahead without being total jerks about it?

Action over intention.

If you don’t want to be average, don’t do what average people do.

What do average people do? They talk.

Just listen to an average person’s conversations, and you’ll see what I mean.

They are overflowing with intentions, but utterly lacking in action. These people are often quite frustrating. They will agree with you all day long about what they should do, but that’s about where it stops. They make plans and talk them through, but never fully take action on them unless they have to. Action is scary. I get it. But at some point, you have to stop talking about healing and go to therapy.

When I was a kid my family was chronically late for church. Here’s the thing, we were exactly 5-7 minutes late every time. So on the way to church, my little 9-year-old self would offer a solution to the problem.

Let’s just move everything back 8 minutes. Bingo. Wake up 8 minutes earlier, breakfast 8 minutes early, etc. No big deal. Easy.

Without fail my loving parents and 5 siblings would agree with me. But after a few years, I started seeing the space between intention and action. My parents had the best intentions of being on time, every time. The only problem is that intentions don’t lead to results or changes.

Honestly, I’m glad I have those memories. It gave me an absolute aversion to “intention” talk. If we’re talking about a problem and no action is going to be taken, I’ll spend my time elsewhere.

Cut out all the empty talk. Replace it with action and you won’t be average.

But you won’t be exceptional either. Unless you get lucky. To be exceptional we need one more step.