By Ichiro Kishimi and Haydn Trowell
The inspiring guide to letting go of competition, reducing stress and living a happier, more authentic life – from the 15-million-copy bestselling author of the Japanese self-help phenomenon, The Courage to Be Disliked.
Are you exhausted from trying to be exceptional? It’s time to break the cycle of burnout and choose ordinary.
The power of ordinary
In The Courage to Be Ordinary, Ichiro Kishimi speaks to everyone burned out by hustle, comparison and the pressure to prove their worth. His message is disarmingly simple: stop trying to stand out.
Being ordinary isn’t failure. It’s freedom. It means freedom from constant competition, from chasing approval and from feeling habitually tense.
Letting go of the need to be special will finally give your strengths the space they need to shine. It’s time to release the pressure and embrace the superpower you really need to succeed: The Power of Ordinary.
The Courage to be Ordinary offers a different way to think about achievement and fulfilment. Instead of constantly competing, it encourages readers to step away from the pressure to prove their worth. In this sense, The Courage to be Ordinary is not an argument against ambition. Instead, it challenges the belief that we must always appear exceptional to live meaningful and successful lives.
The book invites readers to reconsider what it means to succeed. By letting go of comparison and unnecessary pressure, we can create more space for authenticity, confidence and personal growth.
About the authors
Ichiro Kishimi was born in Kyoto in 1956. He graduated from Kyoto University Graduate School of Letters, Faculty of Letters. Kishimi has researched Adlerian psychology since 1989. He also gives lectures on Adlerian psychology and classical philosophy. He is a certified counsellor and consultant for the Japanese Society of Adlerian Psychology. Furthermore, he is also a well-known Japanese translator of selected writings by Alfred Adler.
Haydn Trowell has translated works by major prize-winning authors such as Yasunari Kawabata, Maki Kashimada, and Rie Qudan. He has also worked extensively with publishers in Australia, Japan, the UK and the US. Haydn holds a PhD in translation studies from Monash University. He also has a background in both translation and creative writing.
- PUBLISHER | Penguin Random House SA |
- ISBN | 9781785047046 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R440.00 |
- Classification | Inspiration |
