In today’s busy world, people choose to slave away to reach perfection, success, and accolades that will push them to their ambitious goals. Ever since we were young, we have been wired by society to strive to be the best at everything and that mediocrity is a no-no.
The thing is, however, being “just okay” is often far more fulfilling to one’s life and leads to more growth in the long run, but why is this so? Why does society continue to push people into square pegs when we fit in round holes?
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The obsession with being the very best
Let’s face it. When we were young, most of us were taught by the world that achievements and success are everything. Schools will tally your grades, athletic games and e-sports are ranked, individuals on social media critique and compare you to other more well-off influencers on the platform.
The world celebrates those who succeed and stand out and leave those who fail by the wayside.
Because of this need to succeed and be nothing short of the best, we grew up learning to stand out and break the mold. There is no room to want to be among the unmotivated, uninspired, stagnant masses.
While there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the very best, there is this toxic narrative and belief that one’s worth is tied to your achievements. If you don’t have good grades, you get a dull, boring job.
If you don’t push yourself to your breaking point when your body is on the brink of injury, you can’t ever win. If your name is not synonymous with success, your brand, no matter what it is, is lost to the sea of mediocrity.
A moment of reflection
There will come a time when you will do everything you can to succeed, but no matter what you do, you constantly fail. You push yourself every day to try and raise your quota at work but find that your customers keep going to another co-worker.
They get the increased pay you want immediately when you had to work hard for it constantly. You worked all your life to get the top-of-the-line muscle car only for some guy to roll in with a vintage luxury car that costs millions. You are the star pupil of the class only to be usurped by the relative new transfer student who is even better than you in every way.
The moment hits like a truck. You find out that no matter how much you try to be the best, someone will always be better than you in every way. While this realization would break most individuals, it shouldn’t as it becomes your moment to rise to greatness.
Do you wallow in pity knowing that you cannot be the very best when you have hit your glass ceiling? WIll you continue to grind even if you really can’t go any higher with what you have and fester in negativity?
Accept your flaws
“You can do better. Try harder. Don’t settle!”
Do these words sound familiar to you? There is that little voice deep inside of you that would often scream those words whenever you are struggling. It has been shaped by many decades of conditioning you have been exposed to in your life by mostly well-meaning people.
External forces such as your family, friends, peers, and the like may have meant well, but don’t necessarily take into consideration your desires. Yes, you can try to become a better version of yourself as long as it is that image of a better you is truly your own and not anyone else’s. Just because you were raised by your father to play the piano in the grand hopes you will make his dreams come true doesn’t mean that is YOUR dream as well.
Coping with success
It becomes increasingly difficult to let go of this mentality because of our inherent need for validation. We tend to chase after success thinking it will lead to happiness because more success will get us more money, fame, and popularity.
Social media becomes a never-ending sinkhole with the many posts of other people looking prettier, healthier, satisfied, and drowning in wealth. It’s that little hint of jealousy that no one will ever admit to feeling when seeing these posts and the fear of becoming irrelevant, insignificant, and forgotten. The chase for more success becomes exhausting and makes individuals unstable.
Facing reality wholeheartedly
Mediocrity is not a badge of failure but the acceptance of reality. It does not mean that you suck at life or that you cannot do anything right. Mediocrity means being human. Mediocrity is the acknowledgment that you have hit a wall; a limit. It means that you accept that you cannot succeed and go past a certain point FOR NOW. You do not have the means to get past a certain point in time RIGHT NOW.
No one is perfect, nor can anyone excel at everything truly or all at once. Even the mighty Superman has his Kryptonite weakness after all, and it took time and effort for him to endure it.
Once we begin to realize that mediocrity is just a reminder that we are human, we no longer need to be weighed down by our perfectionism. Yes, we can strive to become a better version of ourselves, but it does not mean that you have to do it NOW.
Success for me
What exactly is success FOR ME? Have you truly considered what your definition of success is? Is your idea of success born from your insight based on your experiences or was it programmed into you by well-meaning individuals in the veil of it being good for you?
One word can mean many things to different people, and success is no different. Success may mean that they are rich, famous, and popular to one person and to the other, it could be them leading a happy, simple life.
Learn to define what true success and satisfaction is for you and focus on what you have versus what you lack. We often focus on our problems and insecurities that we don’t notice the beauty that is surrounding us. We put success on such a high pedestal at times that we don’t get to enjoy the simple things in life anymore.
We need to take a small step back, take a breather, and examine what are we working with. What is it that I can do with my current set of skills that I enjoy? How can I bring happiness not just for myself but also to others with what I do and love? Your path to your own success is not defined by the road laid by others.
Reframe your mindset
This obsession with success leaves us feeling trapped as we constantly spin our wheels chasing after an achievement within the matrix. When the realization hits, you have the option to continue grinding away and run endlessly on your wheel, or you can step aside and leave your open cage.
Just because you pull out of the rat race does not mean you lack ambition or the will to succeed. You are learning to strive for the things that truly matter to you and not what others claim for you. By becoming more present and mindful of what you do right now, you find solace in most of the things you do.
Instead of whining and complaining as you compare yourself to others, take the time to assess your skills and take the steps to improve on what you lack. Yes, you are not the best at anything, nor may you ever be in the future, but you enjoy it and are proud every time you accomplish your goals.
Mediocrity brings harmony
Upon embracing mediocrity, you no longer have to constantly prove yourself to others and just be. You let go of perfectionism and allow yourself to simply be in the present. You become mindful of what you do and take the time to enjoy every second of your life.
You have more fun in your activities without having to impress anyone and allow yourself to make mistakes. You learn to forge relationships and invest in people all around you. It frees you from the burden of stress and the constant burnout that many face as you learn self-compassion and seek inner peace.
Conclusion
Mediocrity is not the end of life but the beginning. It frees you from the burden placed upon you by society’s constant pressure and is an invitation to being human. You learn to live life more meaningfully and not simply be what society thinks you should be.
While success is a wonderful thing to have, living life should not be the cost for a fleeting experience. Mediocrity humbles a person and gives them a more grounded outlook in life. It tells us that while we may not be able to succeed right now, we can and will eventually become better, but we should not sacrifice experiencing the beauty of life for it.
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