I had to laugh a little bit as I was winding down my time with Mark Divine's "Uncommon: Simple Principles for an Extraordinary Life."

After all, if everyone becomes uncommon doesn't that make them common?

Seriously, though, "Uncommon" furthers the efforts of Divine to inspire people toward reaching the summit of personal development. A New York Times bestselling author, Divine is also a formr Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, father, philanthropist, and creator of SEALFIT, Kokoro Yoga, and Unbeatable Mind.

"Uncommon" reveals simple principles to move toward an extraordinary life. Divine stresses this isn't a "perfect" life, which doesn't actually exist, but instead a life where one recognizes and learns from mistakes and moves toward a life of excellence.

To be clear, Divine refers to being common as being "an everyday person" guided less by oneself and more by the expectations of others - parents, employers, spouses, etc. Divine, on some level, understands this as he started out studying economics at Colgate University before obtaining his MBA at NYU and becoming a CPA. It was after this occurred that Divine began to realize a sense of call toward a different life that became expressed through Zen meditation, Seido Karate, and finally by his moving away from being a CPA and entering Navy SEAL training.

"Uncommon" is a weaving together of Divine's life - wisdom, business leadership, eastern philosophy, martial arts, and military experience are all pieces of the puzzle put together by Divine in "Uncommon." Divine has a passionate belief that anyone with the proper motivation can become uncommon and live the extraordinary life.

I must confess that as I began my time with "Uncommon," I struggled mightily. I struggled with, and still struggle with, Divine's views on "common" and I couldn't help but feel like there's a certain amount of privilege that radiates throughout "Uncommon." I longed for Divine to cast a wider net in his messaging and to build a stronger bridge for the principles of "Uncommon" to come to life in different ways.

This started to manifest as "Uncommon" unfolded, Divine's military meets meditative personality coming to life as he talked about the necessity of connection, courage, and compassion. The lessons being taught by Divine moved into applicability and this is where "Uncommon" shines as he works through the importance of mental toughness, emotional resilience, intuition, and spirit in living an uncommon life wherever you happen to be in life.

As a 58-year-old with spina bifida who was originally given 3 days to live and no hope of living an independent life, I began to resonate with Divine's messaging for my own life as an activist who has traveled over 6,000 miles in my wheelchair, held dozens of fundraisers, started a 5k event now in its 21st year, and accomplished a myriad of feats most considered impossible.

"Uncommon" is a book that will resonate with those who have grown weary of living for the expectations of others and long to live a different and more extraordinary life. While you may not resonate with everything that Divine writes, and I certainly didn't, it's nearly impossible to not get caught up in his commitment, compassion, and enthusiasm for transforming the lives of others.

"Uncommon" by Mark Divine offers a refreshing take on personal development, diverging from the typical success-driven narratives. As a former Navy SEAL and entrepreneur, Divine draws from his diverse experiences to guide readers towards a life of excellence. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Divine's philosophy emphasizes learning from mistakes and embracing a journey of self-discovery rather than relentless action. This approach challenges the prevailing notion of success and encourages readers to strive for authenticity and self-awareness. Overall, "Uncommon" offers a thought-provoking perspective on personal growth that resonates beyond the usual self-help rhetoric. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.

Motivational, honest and encouraging, Uncommon is former Navy SEAL Mark Divine’s newest novel about what it takes to be uncommon. Common is boring, easy, predictable and all around lame. To be uncommon is to defy the cultural normal. Not everyone can do it and that’s the point. A great read for anyone looking to be motivated to do more and be more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.