The Courage to Be Ordinary: Discover Your Surprising Superpower for a Thriving Life

The Courage to Be Ordinary: Discover Your Surprising Superpower for a Thriving Life - Paperback

$18.99
Sale price  $18.99 Regular price 
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The Courage to Be Ordinary: Discover Your Surprising Superpower for a Thriving Life

The Courage to Be Ordinary: Discover Your Surprising Superpower for a Thriving Life - Paperback

$18.99
Sale price  $18.99 Regular price 

Book Overview

by Ichiro Kishimi (Author)

Discover the surprising superpower you already have to activate a thriving life--from the 15-million-copy New York Times bestselling author of the Japanese self-help phenomenon, The Courage to Be Disliked.

What if the quest to be special is actually preventing you from living your best life?

We're taught early on to pursue greatness and set ourselves apart. But beneath this universal desire to be extraordinary lies a constant, anxious comparison with others, which inevitably keeps true happiness just out of reach.

In his inspiring new book, psychologist and philosopher Ichiro Kishimi breaks down the real reasons we subject ourselves to the crushing expectations of others, as well as a new way to thrive by accessing your inner compass and choosing a life that's truly your own.

Drawing deeply from Japanese wisdom, The Courage to Be Ordinary will free you from the endless cycle of competition, boost your confidence, and empower you to live a happy life. Rejecting both an endless striving to be special and a cynical resignation to remain the same, Kishimi instead offers us a revolutionary third path, unlocking the full benefits of radical acceptance and authenticity. The Courage to Be Ordinary shows you:


  • how birth order and parental influence affects your life long after you leave the home,
  • the dangers of the fragile superiority behind the need to be special,
  • and how to connect with your internal compass for true confidence in life, work, and relationships.


People-pleasing and the pressure to be extraordinary leads many people to live a life that looks the same from the outside. This book is your map to accept who you are, giving you the power you need to succeed.

Number of Pages: 240
Dimensions: 0.8 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN
Publication Date: September 08, 2026
ISBN9780063576193
Author Ichiro Kishimi
PublisherHarperOne
GenreSelf-help & personal development and Philosophy
FormatPaperback
PublishedSeptember 2026
LanguageENG- English
Pages240
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

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About Ichiro Kishimi

Ichiro Kishimi was born in Kyoto, where he currently resides. He writes and lectures on Adlerian psychology and provides counseling for youths in psychiatric clinics as a certified counselor and consultant for the Japanese Society of Adlerian Psychology. He is the translator, into Japanese, of selected writings by Alfred Adler--The Science of Living and Problems of Neurosis--and he is the author of Introduction to Adlerian Psychology, in addition to numerous other books.

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