Before August 8, 2019, I had never heard of Liz Bohannon. I wasn’t familiar with Sseko Designs and the word ‘pluck’ only made me think of eyebrows. 

But on that Thursday, while coordinating the resource center for the Global Leadership Summit, in the comfort of my church lobby, Liz Bohannon took the stage and said one phrase that I will never forget.

“You. Are. Average.”

Okay, okay. It doesn’t sound like much. I get it. It’s probably not profound. Maybe you’ve even heard it before, but something in those three words struck a chord with me, prompting me to buy her book, Beginner’s Pluck (which was shockingly not about eyebrows) and sign up for her launch team.

And you guys, this book is solid gold. 

First, I found out that “pluck” (when used as a noun) actually means “spirited and determined courage” and I thought, well, that’s pretty cool. Read on, sister!

And I did. 

In the book, Liz talks about building a life of purpose and impact. And in chapter one, she teaches us to Own Your Average.  Through a hilarious, yet humiliating story of trying out for the school play, expecting the lead of Cinderella and being cast as a bird, Liz explains feelings that many of us have felt our whole lives. Feelings that we are less than, or not enough, or too much, or somehow beneath the standard. When in fact, most of us are just average. And that is a good place to be! Owning your average allows you the freedom to fail, to discover, to start again and to build your place in the world—no matter how long it takes, no matter what part you play.

“We are neither called to vie for the spotlight not to shrink into the chorus line. We are simply called to figure out what we have to offer; the gift we have to give, the words we have to speak, the art we have to make, the song we have to sing—and then go all in” (page 26). She goes on to say that “being inherently gifted or above average isn’t a prerequisite to living an extraordinary life,” but Owning Your Average is not a “call for complacency; or a life devoid of passion, purpose, connection or deep meaning” (page 28).

Which is why this book means so much to me. 

You see, I have always felt average. I was pretty, but not pretty enough. I was smart, but not smart enough. I was funny, but not funny enough. I could sing, dance, run, and hula-hoop (weird, I know), but not good enough. So in looking at my life compared to others who were ‘making it’, average didn’t feel good to me. 

And because average didn’t feel good, I stayed on the sidelines. I feared failure. I stayed stuck. I did the things that come easy, but when things got tough, I gave up. 

Until one day (or really a whole series of days and months, okay let’s be honest–years) I began to realize that I am part of a much bigger story. And when you realize you are part of something bigger, the game changes. It becomes a lot less about you and your part, and more about The Whole.

“When you Own Your Average, you’ll start to understand that every human on Planet Earth is a unique combination and sequence of The Divine and carries an equally valuable, one of a kind, never-going-to-see-it-again brand of magic” (page 33).

Which means that you are unique AND average, both together, simultaneously in one body. Who knew!?!

So, get going. Buy the book. Own Your Average and Live a life of PURPOSE! Because YOU Sister, were created to do great things!