“God must love ordinary people because He made so many of us.” –Coach Jim Valvano

I always thought about writing a book. I guess what prompted me was reading so many self-help books about time management, transformation, diet, money, entrepreneurship, real estate, fitness, etc. The common theme in all the books I’ve read has been…be the best, work the hardest, conquer the impossible, be extremely self-disciplined, set audacious goals, achieve them, and for heaven’s sake, don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary. Be above the rest…always. You are built for more. You deserve more. Go get it!!

Are you exhausted or are you inspired?

Me? I became exhausted. And all these books made me a skeptic. So, I wanted to write a book that contradicts every self-help book I’ve ever read. It would be called The Ordinary.

Do you remember when you were little, you would bring a textbook home from school and you had to wrap it in brown paper from a leftover grocery bag? My book would look like that, and it would have the title in a simple typewriter font as artwork. Very simple and ordinary looking. And on the back, it would have a picture of me as the author and a teaser for the book. This is what it would say:

“I am not rich. I am not famous. I don’t speak in front of thousands, I don’t have a vacation house in the Alps, and no one recognizes me in public. I live in a small house in the suburbs of Southern California surrounded by middle-working-class professionals with families and I pay the mortgage and utilities like everyone else. I struggle to wake up every morning and go through my routine and sit in front of a computer answering emails, creating tasks, and even some of the creative work that I sort of like to do and am somewhat passionate about.

But when I lay down at night, I feel the joy and full satisfaction of my life. I feel good about who I am and there’s a rich, deep sense of contentment and happiness.

I am an ordinary guy that somehow stumbled into the realization and the mystery of happiness and I am currently in it.”

Would you want to flip the book back over and start reading chapter 1 to find the secret? Do you want me to just tell you the secret now? I don’t want to give it all away before the book comes out, but I’ll give you a clue:

It has nothing to do with what you do for a living.

It has nothing to do with your income.

It has nothing to do with your status.

But it has everything to do with what comes from building lasting relationships. It has everything to do with enjoying the little things that life has to offer with gratitude. It has everything to do with the beauty of simplicity. It has everything to do with not being filled with anxiety and discontent because you don’t measure up to the success that is expected of you.

Be free. Be content. Be ordinary.

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