Personally, I don't just want just to appear wealthy; I want to BE wealthy. I don't want to appear healthy but be healthy. I don't want to seem happy but actually be happy.
We buy things we don't need, watch too much TV, surf aimlessly on social media, and contribute nothing. You were told by the adverts and commercials that you would be satisfied by the next shiny object you get, but they lied. Surfing Amazon for that next dopamine fix is a short-lived, self-soothing exercise and is no way to handle stress or give your life significance.
That gentle reader is average living, average thinking.
If you want to live an extraordinary life, you need to realize this simple truth:
Not settling for average is filled with resistance. A large chunk of the world will not cater to your ambition. In fact, it will actively try to prevent you. But that is a good thing. It allows you the opportunity to create and live by your own rules.
It's hard because the tribe you belong to does not appreciate deserters leaving their ranks wanting to achieve more, be more. You are making them question their lives and what is possible, and that is uncomfortable for them.
Here's a hint.
If you want to be extraordinary, you'll have to leave the tribe and start living a completely different life than the majority lives.
You gentle readers know I'm committed to being a bestselling Speculative fiction author. What I do and The sacrifices I make may seem strange to many, but it's the only way I'm going to transform my life from average to great.
Ok, I'm no Michelle Obama, Elon Musk, or Nelson Mandela. I'm not preventing climate change, battling world poverty, or pioneering life-changing medical procedures; I'm a writer, and yet my contribution can make a difference to the right people. So because I don't have all the answers, I'm committed to examining the behaviors, lifestyles, and actions of extraordinary people who came before me, and I adopt what I can.
And throughout my studies, I'm yet to be advised to do what the masses do.
To live an extraordinary life doesn't mean you need to be super smart or super talented. What it does require is being uncomfortable for long periods as you step out of your comfort zone, denying yourself the securities most people rely on.
For many, that's too high of a price to pay. I struggle to convince my family of this almost daily. I, for one, think it's worth it. I'm blessed with life; why not make the absolute best of it.
I look forward to what I can become.
Will it be difficult? Hell yes.
At times, I'm lonely, doubtful, sometimes tired, unmotivated, and frustrated, but for all my personal challenges, I'm proud to leave the average way behind.
And so will you.