The Danger of Mediocrity and How To Escape It
We’re all creatures of habit. Our lives are governed by patterns that we reinforce by how we act from moment to moment.
When you start to accept second-rate behavior and results because they’re convenient or you’re too busy with something else to pay attention, you are doing yourself a huge disservice. Essentially, by accepting mediocrity in your life and surroundings, you’re unconsciously telling yourself “This is OK. I don’t mind this.”
Every time you have an interaction with someone who saps your energy, you’re accepting mediocrity.
Every time you don’t speak up for yourself in a relationship, you’re accepting mediocrity.
Every time you look at your goals and don’t do anything about them, you’re accepting mediocrity.
Every time you quell that inner voice which says “This isn’t right”, you’re accepting mediocrity.
And once you’ve done this enough times, it can become who you are. You get used to your life as it is. You make peace with the fact that you’re not going to have the life you dreamt of.
The most insidious thing about mediocrity is that it doesn’t ever show up in a major way. It slowly creeps into your life, bit by bit, like a virus infecting every aspect of your existence until it becomes your default.
There’s only one way to change this – through conscious, proactive behavior.
You’re not as sneaky as you might think
You know people who’re always talking about motivational authors and what books they’ve read, yet never seem to achieve anything substantial.
You know people who’re up-to-date with the latest fitness information and supplements, yet they never seem to stay committed to their routine.
The same is true for you. In the words of George R. R. Martin, “Words are wind.”
Your results speak for themselves.
Stop clamoring for things that hurt you
To make any sort of significant positive changes in your life, you have to stop desiring the things that are holding you down. Your life can only change through permanent habit modifications.
If you want to save more money, you have to stop lusting after frivolous purchases that you don’t need. You have to stop being OK with always being worried about your finances.
Your mindset creates your results. Until you truly make the internal shift that points you in the right direction, your external results are never going to change. But once you start to adopt these positive mindsets, you’ll begin to notice that things change in your life almost effortlessly.
Once you decide that you’re going to commit to a healthier lifestyle, resisting bad food is no longer a problem. You don’t have to exercise willpower to stop eating things that are bad for you, because you are now a person who eats healthy. Simple.
If you no longer want a mediocre life, stop accepting mediocrity. I would advise you to pause for a moment right now and consider all of the things you have in your life – your friends, your possessions, your bank balance, your health. And now, think about it like this – EVERYTHING that you have right now is what you truly desire. If you didn’t desire something, it wouldn’t be in your life.
Take responsibility for your actions. Until you accept this fundamental truth, you’ll always be beating your head against a brick wall. But once you accept where you are, you can start changing.
Own your value system
Maybe you’re someone who doesn’t like gossiping at some fundamental level. However, when your peer group starts gossiping, what do you do? Do you walk away or refrain from the conversation? Or do you reluctantly join in?
Not many people have the courage to act on their own value system nowadays. Integrity is becoming a lost art. Most people are way too concerned about what other people might think about the way they behave.
Think about it – when was the last time you said or did something that was completely for yourself and was untethered to other people’s expectations of you?
If you want to live your life making other people happy, you’re accepting mediocrity.
Mediocrity is accepting a below-average level of health.
Mediocrity is living paycheck to paycheck, when it doesn't have to be that way.
Mediocrity is always cribbing about the world and the situations you find yourself in.
Stop.
What you need to do
If reading this made you feel uncomfortable, that’s good. Maybe you recognized some rationalizations you’re currently making that are keeping you from getting where you want to be.
If this article touched you in any way, commit to making TODAY the day when your life changes.
Commit to making TODAY the day when you stop accepting second-rate behavior from yourself and others.
Make up your mind, and surround yourself with people who will motivate and inspire you to continue on the right path. If that means you have to stop interacting with people you’ve known forever, so be it.
Own your life. Own your decisions. Own your dreams.
Be consistent. The world needs you, and the things only you can offer. Don’t accept an average existence.
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