Why “Normal” Isn’t in My Vocabulary—And Why it Shouldn’t Be in Yours Either

Have a normal job, live a normal life, do normal things with normal people. Ever stop to ask yourself, “Is this it?” Because for me, that’s never been enough. Growing up, I had a front-row seat to scarcity—no car for a while, barely enough heat in the winter, and a tiny house that couldn’t hide the struggle. That environment shaped me but it never confined me. Fast forward to today, and the concept of settling into a routine 9-5, spending my evenings on autopilot, just waiting for the next vacation? Yeah, that sounds like a personal kind of hell.

Maybe you’ve felt it too, the sense that there’s more to life than working to live and living to work. A daily cycle of waiting for that fleeting break, as if those few vacation days will be the light at the end of a never-ending tunnel. It’s a lifestyle that wastes time, energy, and the one resource we can’t buy more of—our lives. The older I get, the more I’ve come to grips with the fact that life is short, precious, and unforgivingly finite. Time is slipping away every second, and while that can be a brutal reality, it’s also a liberating one. You start valuing every hour, asking, “What am I truly doing with it?”

I believe in the power of purpose, especially as a man. To me, being a man means building, creating, and influencing the world around me. It’s about leaving a mark that isn’t easily erased. And that’s not something I can achieve parked on a couch, downing my 20th beer, watching the same team lose on repeat.

But let’s talk about duty. To the men out there feeling lost or aimless—this isn’t your destination. If you’re not moving forward, building yourself and your life up, then you’re missing the point. Your purpose is to level up, to constantly push yourself past where you were yesterday. Yeah, it’s easy to numb out with cheap thrills and distractions, but at what cost? How much of your potential are you willing to waste? The real magic lies in chasing progress, not comfort.

Normal will never give you magic. And trust me, I’m here to live a life that’s full of it.

Adam Niall – October 25, 2024