What makes YOU so special?

What makes YOU so special?

Well…

…nothing!

Who told you you were?

Your parents might have. They might have told you that you could do anything.

They lied.

Your teachers probably did. They told you that if you got good grades and went to college that jobs would be dropping at your feet like ripe sugar plums. They told you that security was yours if you just applied yourself and stayed in school.

They lied.

Your coaches might have too. They might have told you that if you just worked harder than anyone else, you’d rise to the top. You’d earn a scholarship- you might even turn pro.

They lied too.

These folks didn’t mean to lie. They probably didn’t even know they were doing it. They were trying to encourage you and give you the best shot at success.

Of course, the road to hell is paved with good intentions!

You’re a grown ass grown up now. You know the truth! The world is a vicious, highly competitive place where you don’t always get what you want and even if you try, sometimes, you might not even get what you need!

But you’ve got to keep trying!

Just stop believing the hype. The contemporary vision of success, happiness and security is a fairy tale. Not too long ago, happiness meant a solid roof over your head and warm food in your belly. Just last year people took to the streets armed with $600 cell phones and $2,000 laptops drinking $8 cups of coffee to stomp their feet and pound their chests and cry out that “the man” was keeping them down!

I’m not saying you should settle- far from it. Your dream is whatever you want to make of it. All I’m saying is that if you start comparing yourself to others, you may find you’re just not all that special after all.

Or- you may find the one or two areas where you are.

Everyone is capable of Excellence. Most people simply choose average- then bitch and moan because they no longer feel special.

There’s nothing special about average.

There’s nothing particularly unique or special about excellence either! Like most of the characteristics of Black Belt Mindset- being excellent starts with a simple decision.

Excellence starts with the decision that you will be better tonight than you were this morning. Everyone is capable of this…what’s so special?

Your capacity for excellence is nothing special. Your parents, teachers and coaches were right in a way- you are capable of great things. So are a lot of other people.

And guess what? What’s wrong with that? If everyone focused on just being better, the world would change…for the better.

You are capable of excellence. You may not be the best- or even better than most. That doesn’t matter. Each of us can identify the talents and abilities that best suit us. Each of us can cultivate and develop those talents and express ourselves to our best capabilities. Each of us can bring value to the world…

…and that truly is special.