Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity has had a ton of airtime over the years—doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. It’s a great definition. But what is it that has us doing that same thing over and over again?
It’s our way of being. The driving force of insanity, which we don’t typically see, is that we are being the same way over and over, expecting a different result. It’s the continuing in our old way of being that’s stopping us from the new life we desire.
We are being the same way over and over, expecting a different result.
And it’s just plain…ordinary. It’s ordinary to live life this way; standard M.O. for most of the world. But new life in love, work, health and contribution comes when we step into being in a whole new way, and it’s absolutely extraordinary! So today I offer you an introduction to the distinctions between ordinary and extraordinary as they show up in our everyday lives.
We have already seen the results our current way of being produces—it’s the life we currently have.
- Ordinary (O): Limited by current circumstances.
- Extraordinary (E): Committed to creating new circumstances.
- O: Describing what is.
- E: Declaring what isn’t.
- O: Agreeing to what already looks possible.
- E: Agreeing to what I really want and then make the impossible happen.
- O: Blaming others for the way my life turns out.
- E: Taking full responsibility for my choices, actions and inactions.
- O: The past is something to be defined by or denied ever happened.
- E: The past can be used as fuel for my purpose. I use it instead of it using me.
- O: Hold-back, familiar and comfortable.
- E: Full-out, unknown, uncomfortable.
- O: Figuring it out in order to move.
- E: Moving to “figure” it out. Really this is living it out.
- O: Struggling with deserving.
- E: Acknowledging God-given design for greatness.
New life comes when we step into being in a whole new way, and it’s absolutely extraordinary!
This week, notice how ordinary and extraordinary show up for you. Just get a sense for how it impacts the quality of your life. How would being extraordinary make a difference for you? I’ll be back next week with On Being Extraordinary Part 2–more distinctions and more to this uncommon conversation.
Becky
