The difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary is that a Little Extra…
Ordinary and Extraordinary are two very different things, but they’re both defined by how much extra effort you put into something that’s already pretty good. For example, if you’re making some delicious chocolate chip cookies, ordinary would be to toss in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, whereas extraordinary would be to use 4 teaspoons instead! Now this doesn’t seem like much of a difference on the surface—in fact, it might even seem frivolous—but let me ask you this: Have you ever had vanilla extract in your baking before? If so, I bet those cookies were amazing!
Defining Extraordinary
Extraordinary means going above and beyond, it’s about doing more than you would normally do to make a difference in the world. By definition, extraordinary is anything that sets itself apart from the ordinary and this can come in many shapes and sizes. One way to be extraordinary is by helping others without any thought of receiving anything in return. For example, a friend or family member might not know what you need for your birthday or Christmas and yet they will take time out of their day to find the perfect gift for you just because they care about you so much.
Why Being Extra Ordinary Is Overrated
People are drawn to extraordinary things because they want to stand out, be different, and have a more meaningful life. But what if you’re ordinary? That’s not a bad thing! In fact, being ordinary can offer some pretty great benefits that you might not have considered before. Here are a few of them – You are free from worrying about where your next idea is going to come from
- You don’t need an agenda every day
- You don’t have to fight through crowds or traffic every day
- You can do something different with your time on weekends (such as sleep in)
- Being ordinary means you don’t take up space in this world and so it will exist longer
Why Going the Extra Mile Matters
It’s not always easy to go that extra mile, but it will make all the difference in your everyday interactions. Consider these examples of how going that extra mile can positively impact people you interact with on a regular basis:
- Giving someone an honest compliment when they least expect it
- Taking time to do something for yourself
- Doing what you say you are going to do
- Being kind to others
How to Add the Little Extra into Your Life
What makes an ordinary person extraordinary is that little extra that they put in everything they do. That little extra can be anything from taking a few seconds to smile at someone and say hello, to going out of your way to help someone who’s in need, or even just cooking dinner for your family every night instead of ordering takeout.
One thing you can do to add that little extra into your life is take note of all the small things you do throughout your day and ask yourself What can I do today to make it just a little bit better? Then try adding one of those new actions into your day and see how it feels! You might feel like doing more and more until eventually, the little extra becomes something huge!
Ordinary vs. Extraordinary: The Little Extra Makes All the Difference
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to be ordinary. But when you take a little extra time and effort, you’ll find it becomes extraordinary. It all starts with asking for help, being honest about your feelings, and getting creative with solutions. When you’re willing to try something different, you might find that not only does your life improve, but so do the lives of those around you! Since this blog post was published on November 10th, we have had an outpouring of people telling us how they were able to use these ideas to make their lives better. One woman said she started volunteering at her son’s school after she found herself feeling like an outsider in his classroom. I realized I needed more friends, she said.
Another person told us that he was struggling at work because his boss was unsupportive and would criticize him constantly-but now he tells himself the devil is just my own thoughts. He said it has really helped him stop stressing out over things he can’t control.
