Ordinary Is Extraordinary
When I first started speaking, I hired a marketing agency to help me with my branding and messaging. They told me they loved my “Be Who You Came to Be” message... but questioned whether it would ever take flight.
Not because the message wasn’t powerful. Because, in their words, I was too "ordinary".
I didn’t have a résumé that stood out. I hadn’t done anything extraordinary. I wasn’t a celebrity, professional athlete, wildly successful entrepreneur, or Fortune 500 CEO.
I was just an ordinary person with an ordinary story.
I believed a different story. I saw why this message was so powerful. Be who you came to be celebrates our extraordinary.
I was quick to remind the agency: That this is exactly why the world needs this message.
Most of us aren’t famous or insanely accomplished. Most of us are ordinary people questioning our path, wondering whether we’re enough, and trying to figure out if we’re on the right track.
That’s not a weakness. That’s human.
And here’s what I’ve learned: Ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact.
Think about one ordinary interaction you still remember because someone made you feel seen, valued, or believed in.
They may not remember it... but you do.
The people who shape us most are usually much closer than we realize:
...The teacher who saw something in us before we saw it in ourselves.
...The coach who pushed us because they knew we were capable of more.
... The leader who believed in us, the friend who stood beside us, or the family member who encouraged us to become everything we were capable of becoming.
They probably didn’t change our lives with one enormous gesture.
They did it through an ordinary moment:
A conversation. A compliment. A phone call.
A few words of encouragement at exactly the right time. That’s the power of human connection.
We never know who is questioning whether they belong, wondering if their work matters, or desperately needing to hear one kind word.
We never know which ordinary moment might give someone the courage to take flight.
In the age of AI, our greatest advantage may be surprisingly simple: the ability to notice someone, encourage them, believe in them, and remind them of who they are.
You don’t need an extraordinary résumé to make an extraordinary difference. You don’t need to be famous to be influential.
You don’t need to have done something "extraordinary" to help someone else believe that they can.
Never underestimate the impact of an ordinary moment.
Every interaction is an opportunity.
How you show up matters.
Ordinary is extraordinary.
Keep shining your ordinary light - the world needs it.
xoxo, Tara
P.S. The Human Advantage™ keynote gives leaders and teams six emotional-intelligence practices for creating trust, strengthening relationships, and powering performance in the age of AI. Reply to this email to learn more.
