Natalya Edwards
What qualities make ordinary people extraordinary? What separates them from the rest?
Why do they deserve the ‘extra’ in front of the ordinary?
These are all questions I have the answers to in this article.
So, here are 11 qualities that make ordinary people extraordinary.
1) They know how to network and make connections
Being able to network and make connections comes down to communication.
Ordinary people know how to communicate, of course.
But extraordinary people communicate in a way that builds connections and friends in high places. Friends that can help them excel both personally and professionally.
How do they do this?
Well, extraordinary people make for exceptional listeners and are good at reading body language. This enables them to ask the right questions and build rapport with various people.
2) They have a purpose (and are actively working towards it)
Ordinary people may have dreams or a purpose, but they are vague. They don’t have a plan to help them fulfill this purpose, nor are they willing to make sacrifices to help them reach their dreams.
Extraordinary people, however, have a purpose or a massive dream that they can envision clearly.
Not only that, but they also have a plan of action to reach their vision.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, had a vision of how he wanted his online store to be when he started the business.
Amazon initially started as an online book store, though he had aspired for it to be ‘an everything store’. Now Amazon sells almost anything you can think of!
3) They have an unwavering self of belief
Ordinary people may doubt their dreams and be unsure if they can achieve them.
If someone – let’s say a friend, tells them that their dream is stupid and that it’s not possible, an ordinary person may take it to heart.
Perhaps, they’ll even believe their friend and decide not to pursue their dream because of what their friend said.
What would an extraordinary person do if a friend told them the same thing?
I’ll tell you – they’ll let that comment bounce off of them like it’s nothing and keep it pushing.
You see, extraordinary people believe in themselves, their dreams, and their vision wholeheartedly, and nothing anyone can say or do will change that.
4) They are doers who take action
Because extraordinary people believe in themselves, they’ll take the necessary steps to achieve their goals.
Ordinary people might tell people they’re going to something, and they may or may not do it. If it happens, it happens.
But extraordinary people are doers. They mean what they say.
While ordinary people may daydream and think about what they want to do, extraordinary people will make concrete plans.
For example, an extraordinary person might want to switch careers but need to gain some extra skills or education.
If that’s the case, they’ll take steps toward acquiring these skills. That may mean taking an online course or going back into education.
Whatever helps them reach their goals, they’ll do it.
5) They find a solution to their problems rather than complain about it
As I said, extraordinary people are doers.
If ordinary people have a problem, they might complain and whine to anyone who listens. But that doesn’t mean they’ll try to resolve the problem.
For example, they might be unhappy in their job. Perhaps they have an issue with colleagues or management or have been given more work than they can handle.
But instead of trying to fix their issues so they are happier in their job, they complain.
When it comes to extraordinary people, every problem has a solution.
If they have an issue with their colleague, they’ll speak to that colleague directly. They’ll talk to management if their workload is too much. Or, they’ll give feedback if they have problems with management.
If none of that works, they’ll look for a job that is better suited to them.
6) They use negative experiences as an opportunity
What do ordinary people do when they have a negative experience?
They may let that negative experience stop them from trying again. Or they allow that experience to define who they are.
Say, they get rejected from a job they wanted. They may use that rejection as a reason why they should stop applying for jobs.
Meanwhile, extraordinary people turn negative experiences into opportunities.
If an extraordinary person gets rejected, they’d take a look at their CV, make tweaks, and gain new skills to better their chances next time.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, faced a career-ending injury in college football.
Instead of allowing that experience to break him, he turned his attention to World Wrestling Entertainment. Eventually, he became one of the biggest stars in the industry. He then switched to a career in Hollywood, and the rest is history!
7) They don’t take no (or failure) for an answer
When it comes down to it, we will all experience failure at some point. The more we put ourselves out there, the more likely it will happen.
For an ordinary person, hearing too many no’s or rejections may stop them from trying again.
That might be because their pride is hurt, their self-esteem is low, and their self-limiting beliefs haunt them after experiencing failure over and over again.
But extraordinary people don’t take no for an answer, which comes from their unwavering belief.
It’s just like that friend that tells them their dream is stupid. Extraordinary people won’t take it to heart because they believe they’ll succeed. Therefore an extraordinary person won’t stop until they do just that.
8) They have discipline
It takes discipline to achieve your goals; extraordinary people have bucket loads of it!
They see their vision clearly and have the motivation to stick to a routine, no matter the temptations that may dangle in front of them. This is something ordinary people may lack.
It can be hard to resist temptation. It’s all too easy to binge-watch episodes on Netflix, play video games, or watch endless videos on Youtube.
But extraordinary people are motivated by the long-term gratification of achieving their goals, which stops them from giving in to any temptations thrown their way.
9) They master their craft
Ordinary people may have talent, but they won’t necessarily put in the work to hone it.
However, extraordinary people don’t rely on their natural talent – they master their craft.
Stephen King is an excellent example of someone who has mastered his craft – the written word.
King is a prolific writer who has written over 60 books.
One tip he has for writers is to read. In his book On Writing, he said, ‘If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write’.
Stephen King himself reads around 80 books a year – more than enough to help him become the writer he is today.
10) They use their 24 hours wisely
Another thing that extraordinary people do is use their time wisely.
Ordinary people might not worry too much about time.
When they clock out of work, they may go home and play on their PlayStation for the rest of the day. Or spend their evening scrolling through social media.
Extraordinary people differ, as they want to utilize every minute of their day. So, when they go home after work, they’ll set time aside to study, learn a new language, or do some yoga.
They’ll likely use calendars and have to-do lists they tick off each day. A list of big and small goals they’re actively working on. And a packed-out schedule, so they can do as much as possible.
Extraordinary people want each day to be productive because this will only help them to achieve more.
11) They own their mistakes
When an ordinary person fails or makes a mistake, they may turn the blame onto someone else. That’s because admitting their mistakes is too hard for them, so they turn a blind eye to it.
Extraordinary people, however, are transparent. If something was their fault, they’d own up to it. After all, that’s the only way they’ll learn and grow from the error of their ways.
Extraordinary people realize that ignoring their flaws can hinder their relationships and professional development and stunt their growth.
That’s why they’ll continuously work on their weaknesses, which will help them in the future to excel in areas they previously lacked.
Final thoughts
Many qualities separate ordinary people from the extraordinary.
Ordinary people’s goals tend to be vague, and they don’t have the belief or discipline to go after them. They may also let rejection stop them from trying and give up.
Extraordinary people though, have a clear vision of their goals and a plan for reaching them. They also use their time wisely so they can do as much as possible and problem-solve to work through any hurdles they face.
To summarize, it takes an unwavering sense of belief, discipline, and resolve to be extraordinary!
