You are not special (and why it's probably the best news you will hear all day)

If there is one almost universal truth being passed on amongst the world at this moment, it is the statement 'You are special' and its ilk, namely 'You can do anything you put your mind to', 'You are important', 'You are perfect' and so on and so forth. 

We live in a world which constantly tries to convince us of our own importance, but furthermore, makes us crave our own importance. From the day we are born, we are told to believe that we can achieve anything we put our mind to and whats more, that it is actually normal to believe this. Not only normal, but desired. Importance is a powerful thing in this world of ours. 

Time for a reality check. 

You are not special. You are not exceptional. 

Contrary to what your U-9 soccer trophies and your glowing Year 7 report card suggests, you are not special. 

The evidence for this statement is everywhere you look. 

Let's go with the thought, that you personally are one in a million. That means, that in this world where there is 6,800,000,000 (6.8 billion) people there is exactly .. 6800 people just like you. Imagine standing on a street, watching 6800 people just like you walk past. 6800 people, living your life, doing your job, loving what you love and struggling with what you struggle. That's a lot of you's. 

Your planet is not the centre of its solar system, this solar system is not the centre of its galaxy, this galaxy is not the centre of the universe and in fact, astrophysicists assure is there is no centre of the universe .. and therefore you cannot be it. 

'But Jimmy' I hear you cry .. 'Wasn't I made in the image of God, aren't I important? My girlfriend says that I am my own version of perfectt' I don't disagree. That makes 6.8 billion people made in the image of God (which to me, says a lot more about the artist being special than the art itself) and 6.8 billion who are 'their own version of perfect'. 

If everyone is special, then no-one is. 

If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless.  

We have become scared of being insignificant, we bend the stick to try and make it even. We puff up our own importance because if we don't, we are scared no-one will notice. 

I want to come to you today with a unique idea. 

You are not special. In fact, you're just kinda average. That will be the best news you have heard all day .. and heres why. 

It will set you free. 

You no longer have to live up to the hype of perfection, of excellence, of performance. You can drop the facade (which we all have) and instead of looking to love the person you might one day potentially become eventually you can love who you are. You don't have to look ahead to love yourself, you can love yourself right now. 

Instead of becoming downcast when you fail, you can regale and celebrate your success, knowing that it means something. Instead of putting on a tough facade, a harsh exterior which gets results on paper, but loses friends in reality, you can put it away and love people for who they are. 

Failure is no longer a horrendous ordeal, it's just another event that happens to everyone. 

Realizing that you are not all that important is sort of freeing isn't it. It means you don't have to be anyone special, you can just be you. I can be me. 

When you get over that thought process that the world was created for you, it leaves you with one logical option (in my mind anyway).  Instead of anticipating that life will open up for you in an enticing flotilla of possibilities, you can work out what you really love in life and work really hard for it. You might fail, but at least you will have given yourself a chance. 

Seriously, work hard and get at it. No-one will hand you your lifes dreams on a silver platter so work incredibly hard. You want it, good. Work hard. Work incredibly hard. Don't leave it on the plate because you can somehow 'turn your mind to it' and make it work. Start. Get it done. 

Most importantly, do whatever you do for no other reason than you love it and believe it is important and worthy.

Inspired by this amazing speech

Let me know what you think in a comment below.