From Ordinary to Extraordinary

How do average individuals manage to go from ordinary to extraordinary, how do they find a way to go from good to great?

Over the years I’ve observed and worked alongside many individuals who have achieved greatness in their lives.  The exceptional actor, salesperson, coach, writer, parent, movie producer or musician.  How have they made what seems to be the impossible become possible?

From my observations and experience I have created a list of what I consider to be the key characteristic of these individuals.  These characteristics have assisted them in achieving greatness in their personal lives and professions and are an essential part of their success.   

A Focused Sense of Purpose

It’s very difficult to be great at everything, thus the saying, “A Jack of all Trades and a Master of None”.  Those that achieve greatness determine what they truly want to be great at and approach their aspiration with a strong and clear vision of what they are trying to achieve.

Unwavering Consistency, Determination and Persistence

Simply put, the greatest achievers will do whatever it takes to be the best!  They have a relentless work ethic which is consistent and focused on their goal.

A Competitive Mindset

Great achievers do not fear competition, they thrive on it and use it as a basis for their motivation.

Agility

They possess a mindset of resourcefulness and swift adaptation.

Creativity

They use their creativity to see things in new and unique ways.

Courage

They have the willingness and make the choice to face difficulty, fear or uncertainty head on.

Optimism

They have a mindset of always imagining the best possible outcome of a particular situation.

Personal Sacrifice

Great achievers choose to give something up for the benefit of something else.

An incredible example of someone who embodies many of the characteristics listed above is one of the greatest athletes of all time, Micheal Phelps.  Micheal Phelps achieved what appeared at the time to be impossible.  He is one of the most incredible achievers in my lifetime and is the greatest Olympic medalist of all time (28 medals).  Michael Phelps embodies many of the characteristics listed above and made numerous personal sacrifices to be great.

Micheal Phleps’ coach Bob Bowman stated that Michael Phelps swam 13 kilometres a day, six or seven days a week – at least 80,000 meters every week. Even on Sundays and birthdays.  Phelps usually split his training into two sessions, spending 5-6 hours in the pool a day. His intensity and volume in training were astonishing.

All of us have personal choices related to how successful we want to become in all aspects of our life.  If you truly want to be the best at something, I’m confident that with a clear vision, unwavering commitment and utilization of many of the characteristics listed above, going from ordinary to extraordinary is achievable.