Normal is Overrated
Mark Sanborn
Motivating Leaders/Teams to BE EXTRAORDINARY; International Speaker, Advisor and Bestselling Author; Expert in Residence for High Point University’s Leadership Excellence Program; Global Leadership Strategist
Why do we seem obsessed with normal?
Being normal, going back to normal, wanting what is normal.
Normal is synonymous with standard or common, which might be why Carl Jung said, “To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.”
Peggy Noonan commented that people running for President often try to come across as normal. She points out that wanting to be the leader of the free world isn’t really normal, and it isn’t the aspiration nor ability of most people. But she sees that grand pursuit as noble and good.
“Besides,” she says, “normal is overrated.”
Which begs the question, what is normal?
Normal is what we get used to, whether at home or at work. Normal is easy. Normal is familiar.
But is it always desirable?
I skied for years and met many visitors on the slopes here in Colorado. They almost always loved the mountain experience and often expressed regret to be going back home to normal. When I’ve vacationed at the beach I hear similar sentiments. After congratulating someone on an award they’ll sometimes talk about how they’ll get back to work when things return to normal.
You can’t ski or splash in the ocean or win awards every day, but what if you tried to replicate that kind of joy and happiness in whatever you found yourself doing each day?
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Nobody can live on the mountain tops all the time. It is often said that valleys help us appreciate the mountain top experiences and while that may be true, the problem is that many seems to accept living in the valleys as their permanent residence.
I encourage you to aspire higher. If you want more out of life, go for more. Raise your expectations. Settle up rather than down.
It was Maya Angelou said, “If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”
In other words, normal is overrated when you can choose to be extraordinary.
#beextraordinary? #marksanborn #keynotespeaker #leadershipspeaker #peggynoonan #mayaangelou #carljung
Mark Sanborn is an award winning speaker, leadership strategist and Leadership Expert in Residence at?High Point University, the Premier Life Skills University which challenges students to “choose to be extraordinary.” He also advises executives and professional speakers on how to speak more powerfully. For more information about his work, visit www.marksanborn.com .?
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4 个月Predictability when things are on a normal distribution, following the norm (what most people do), and complacency is staying near the mean.
?? Brand Alchemist ?? Brand Activator & Book Guide ??Publishing & Marketing @ SusanGilbert - I help Founders & Entrepreneurs transform their experience into gold for unparalleled impact with a book and personal brand.
4 个月Great insights here. Instead of settling for what's familiar, I try to aim for a life filled with joy and purpose. Let's leave normal behind and reach for the extraordinary!
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4 个月Mark Sanborn Our obsession with normalcy seems to stem from our desire to fit in and conform to societal expectations. However, the pursuit of normalcy can often be limiting and stifling to our individuality and creativity. I believe that true progress, innovation, and personal growth lie outside the boundaries of normalcy. It is in embracing the unknown, challenging the norms, and pushing our limits that we discover our true potential.