Beauty Is in Being Ordinary

For a very long time unfortunately people and society have found themselves caught up in a fierce contest, sometimes honorable, sometimes not. The point is, everyone seems to be in an unrelenting race: dashing or sprinting without even knowing if there is a genuine goal to reach—or perhaps they’re racing toward “no goal” at all. In every aspect of life, trivial or profound, they rush on so relentlessly that they don’t pause to catch their breath and ask, “How long can we keep sprinting like this until we run out of air? And more importantly, where are we even going? What’s the goal?”

Is the aim academic success?
Career achievement?
To be the very best?

What is the purpose?

Amid this frantic struggle and breakneck speed so fast there’s no time to breathe we’ve lost our compass. The pace itself intensifies the feeling that time is slipping away, that we must achieve everything at once because “time is limited.” This breeds what we might call “time anxiety.” Paradoxically, time really is finite, and it does pass quickly when you’re busy doing many things. If you recognized that the sensation of time flying stems from how much you’re accomplishing, you might feel a measure of satisfaction or even enjoyment. But because you never allow yourself a moment to reflect, you imagine that time is slipping through your fingers.

Yes, time moves on and it won’t stop whether you act or not but you are indeed working and striving. So be gentle with yourself. And remember: you’re not in a competition—you’re simply doing the work you do well (or at least trying to master it), pursuing what you love (or at least trying to love it). Be kind to yourself.

So why if competition surely heightens motivation don’t I feel more driven when I’m not racing against others?

Indeed, competition can boost drive and desire to work. The problem arises when that competition morphs into constant self-evaluation and endless comparisons with others. Often, these comparisons lead to dissatisfaction, neglect of our own capacities, and an obsession with those we think we’re competing against. Contemporary life only sharpens this sense of rivalry: from elementary school, we’re taught to be first or among the top ten. And even when you win, the reward rarely justifies the effort.

Consider professional sports: while the true purpose of exercise is health and well‑being, it’s become a purely commercial enterprise. You and I become mere pieces in a vast business machine. This isn’t to denounce commerce—but to ask: do you exercise for skill and wellness, or to feed a commercial racket?

Our article’s title “Beauty Is in Being Ordinary”might seem at odds with a discussion of competition and speed. Yet competition forces perpetual comparison; speed blinds you to everything except what you believe will make you win. Media reinforces stereotyped ideals: the best, the fastest, the finest. In the scramble to conform, you twist yourself to fit those images, exhausting body and mind even when you do “win,” because the victory feels fleeting. Temporary achievements beget fresh anxieties more hunger for success, fame, and distinction. You stay consumed by self‑judgment and the fear of falling short of those ideals.

In Conclusion

If you’ve read this far, remember:

• True beauty and distinction do not lie in being first, fastest, or “the best”—pursuing those goals never ends.

• You are beautiful just as you are.

• You are beautiful in your ordinariness.

• You are beautiful simply being you.

Enjoy where you are right now.

Dated 

06/19/2025