When you think about ‘being extraordinary’ does this mean you somehow have to achieve the almost impossible?
I was thinking about this when suddenly on the radio I heard a programme all about ‘extraordinary moments in 2012’. Yes some attention was paid to those truly inspiring Olympians but people very quickly started to talk about things in their life which were much more everyday. People who had got married, or got in touch with people they hadn’t seen for years. People who had tackled some adversity they faced or who had done something they never thought they’d be able to do.
As I listened more closely to these stories what I began to see was what really made people extraordinary was that they were in touch with something that mattered to them. And being extraordinary wasn’t so much about what they had achieved but more about the way they had put themselves behind their core values and beliefs. They had taken a risk, given it a go and decided that in some way their cause was worth it.
As a coach I often work with people to find ways to take a step forward in their life and one of the pieces of work in 2012 of which I’m most proud was helping a young man, called Rob, to get out of the poverty trap he had found himself in. It wasn’t always easy but Rob was fed up with his own excuses and had come to me looking for help. What was obvious from the first was that he was willing to work on his own attitudes, behaviour and habits. He identified some areas of his life, such as with his clients and with his family, where there were real opportunities to be different and what he found was that it wasn’t nearly so hard as he had imagined. He started trying things out and people quickly started to respond to him differently and in his work in particular he started to be much more successful.
I think Rob has had an ‘extraordinary’ 12-18 months and from being in poverty when we first met he announced at out last meeting that he’s now even employing someone to help with the amount of work he’s got coming in. Rob made this happen over time. He hasn’t been extraordinary every moment of every day but he has been paying attention to what really matters to him and he has been startled by his own progress. Not surprisingly he is far more motivated and happier in his life.
So how can you have an extraordinary year ahead? Here are some pointers
• Get clear on what matters to you. It doesn’t matter if that’s getting ahead with your career, having more fun in your life, having a big adventure or spending more quality time with your family – just make sure you know where you are focusing
• Find someone you can speak to about why this matters and what you are going to do about it. You might even describe to them what success for you will look like when you get there
• Get started and take the first step. This might be a call or an email to someone you know. It might mean you doing some research or doing something that you’ve been putting off for a long time.
• And finally keep on looking for those everyday opportunities where you can show up with energy and belief and dare to go for it
By Anthony Landale