Refuse to Accept Mediocrity
Why is it so hard to do what we want to do?
Think about it. There are huge businesses dedicated to making people better. There are websites all over (including this one) that are dedicated to providing tools to do what they love, and encourage them to try harder.
It’s like we need a cheer squad just to get up in the morning.
Mediocrity is the most potent, most accessible drug there is. Your body, mind, and everyone around you will fill you with heavy doses of it.
It is the most widespread phenomena on the planet.
And you must fight it.
Do not join the wave of “okay”.
Be, dream, do, and create something that was meant to rise above.
Because you are far from mediocre.
Think back to when you were a child. You could do anything, right?
There was no dream too big, no wish too large. Everything was worth believing in. When did that stop?
And in this culture, we are fed the constant drivel that our youngest years are the only ones worth living. We hear things like:
“High school will be the best years of your life.”
“Enjoy the social college life because it will be long gone soon.”
“You should travel while you’re young.”
All of these things seem to imply that adulthood is some sort of inescapable prison sentence. As we keep hearing these things, we start to believe them.
We begin to spend our time looking in the review mirror instead of the map. We reminisce about how magical things used to be instead of creating a better future for ourselves.
It does not do to accept that our best days are behind us.
I’m 25 now. When I was 17, I thought I was going to be a professional golfer. I had the time, the talent, and the resources. I had a scratch handicap and received a scholarship to play. The elements of the platform were all in place.
But I didn’t make the jump. I was afraid to go all in. I didn’t put in the work to be better than average.
I have no regrets about that.
Right now I’m writing this article during my lunch break at my stuffy corporate job. I could be complaining about what I could have been, the things I could have done, how unfair life has been. Instead, I found writing. I’ve gotten pretty good at it.
And who knows? Maybe I’ll get back to golf one day.
Every path you take will leave you with something. All you have to do is start running.
There is not a secret to getting ahead. There’s not a trick to doing what you want to do. If you are 18, guess what? Now is the time to make a difference. It’s time to get to work.
If you are 35, guess what? It’s time to get your life in order. Do things you wish you always had. It’s time to get to work.
If you are 65, guess what? You aren’t mediocre either. It’s time to start whatever you’ve been scared of for so long. It’s time to get to work.
You can be extraordinary whether you are 72 or 22.
Mediocrity cannot be outrun. It cannot be escaped. It will be everywhere you go in the future.
It beckons, with calls sweeter than ever, reminding you how much easier things are when you keep your expectations low.
Mediocrity cannot be defeated. It can only be outworked.
It’s time to get to work.
About Todd Brison
Todd is a writer and who loves his redhead, Chacos, and sweet potatoes. He provides inspiration to young students and professionals who realize life isn’t exactly going the way they planned. He has recently started bringing his talk “Writing, Social Media, and Life” to college students. Get inside his head over on Medium.
