Being extraordinary is like Instagram reels; everyone’s doing it. Every rookie on the internet is sure that they are the next Zuckerburg and that *they have what it takes to make it big*.
Being mediocre is frowned upon in this age of overzealous entrepreneurs and influencers. It’s no short of an insult. Shreya, a digital creator, confesses – “I lowkey love being average but don’t say it out loud much because people think I am dumb and not ambitious”. This is probably because of the notion that being average and being successful are mutually exclusive traits. And when flashy quotes like – “Refuse to be average. Aim to be great.” appear on your feed twice a day, you pretty much internalize it.
Mediocrity is not a goal
We fear accepting mediocrity because it sounds limiting. What if you were meant to be the next Meghan Markle or Barak Obama but called it quits and stuck with average? Legit worry, friends.
Mark Manson, author of the bestselling novel How to not give a f*ck, solves this brainer. He says, “Mediocrity, as a goal, sucks. But mediocrity, as a result, is OK”. The real deal is, “We’re all, for the most part, pretty average people. It’s the extremes that get all of the publicity. The vast majority of us will never be truly exceptional at, well, anything. And that’s OK.”
No shame in feeling “enough”
It’s best to see eye to eye with reality. You could be a Bruce Wayne of one trade and Mr Bean in others. If you evade this truth, you can have a dozen laurels decorating your front desk and still not feel accomplished. There’s no shame in feeling “enough”. It is normal to feel content with what you have.
To be the type-A personality, you might have to make trade-offs. A high paying job comes with an all-nighters package. If it doesn’t sit right with you, call the shots. There’s no pressure to be great because one should be.
Play mediocrity to your advantage
Being mediocre has its perks. Abou Zuhayr, a startup founder, says, “I love being average. No one expects a lot out of me. If I do well, they heap praise. If I don’t, no one bothers. Not many crave a life of mediocrity. I play that to my advantage.”
There are no hard feelings for those who set their bar high and tirelessly hustle for it. The world’s progress depends on its exceptional and innovative contributions. Still, these individuals are part of the top 1 per cent in their field, combining truly unconventional levels of talent, work ethic, and focus. The rest, 99 per cent, have basic talents and motivations which are pretty great, too.
An average memer once said “I’m not very good at anything. But I’m incredibly average at everything. So I got that going for me, which is nice.”