Mediocrity is the state of making peace with living life according to average standards, in other words: barely getting by.
Existing in a mediocre state creates a mid-level zone of comfort. Many of us are comfortable with living like this. We pick a clear and easy path taken by many and follow it till the end because it is the safest one.
A mediocre life causes you to kick your dreams and goals to the side for what seems more sensical. And while you may very well survive living like this, you will never thrive. You will keep being just like the rest and nothing about you will be noteworthy. If you have ambitions and truly want to make a positive impact on the world you live in, you should never settle for living life in this way.
The following tips will help you break the chains of mediocrity and aim for success:
1. Think like the people you admire
We all have mentors in life, whether we are directly or indirectly connected to them. So, think about what they would do if they were in your shoes. Would they keep on working that low or medium paying job that shows next to zero upsides for the future? Would they keep on slaving away until late at night for a stressful boss who takes credit for all the hard work you do and only talks to you when you’ve done something wrong?
What do you truly want out of life? Does your goal include waking up to the same mundane thing every single day till the very end? If you wish to achieve greatness, the time to do it is now, or never. The first thing you would need to do is forget about all the things that held you back from accomplishing your dreams. It may seem scary at first, but it will set you free.
2. Think big
Most average people are afraid to think big and take the necessary actions to achieve their goals. They follow the guidelines for society’s expectations and rarely ever pursue things on their own. In order to avoid mediocrity, you must be willing to think big. Set big goals and work towards achieving them by making whatever progress you can towards them every day.
3. Escape your comfort zone
Remind yourself of the popular saying, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Sometimes the biggest barrier to what we want in life is our own reluctance to step into unexplored territory and take the necessary steps towards our dreams and ambitions.
We often endure a situation that is not in our best interest, only because we want to avoid risk and play it safe. However, in order to make it in life, you must step out of your comfort zone and face your biggest fears. Only then can you grow. No excuses.
4. Take responsibility
Regardless of what your situation may be, challenges or circumstances you are facing, within you, lies an ability to rise above them, and you must call it forth. Doing so means that you are choosing to hold yourself accountable for all that goes wrong in your life and rise above mediocrity.
Holding yourself accountable does not mean you should feel guilty or blame yourself, it means realizing that you have the strength to maneuver your future to become someone you can be proud of. You can bring anything to life if you put the necessary effort into it and take responsibility for controlling your own ambitions.
5. Be open to criticism
Constructive criticism is what helps you broaden your mind to the possibility of doing things with better insights next time, and is, in addition, what helps you toward having the psychological transition from what you considered to be the truth to what it is in reality.
6. Extinguish your fears and ignite your confidence
Many people let fear trap them into a life they did not want. Being afraid of, “What would happen if I try”, “What if it doesn’t work out the way I planned it?” makes people forget that fear is the number one enemy of success. If fear had a hold on them, major companies such as Microsoft and Facebook would not exist today as the founders would have been too afraid to give their ideas a shot at success.
Should you decide to let fear dictate the choices you make, it will be impossible to achieve anything at all. The only way to keep the influence that fear has on you at bay is to develop strong self-confidence, as this will help you bring forth the courage to go after whatever you want in life.
7. Focus on one thing at a time
A lack of focus can keep you stuck in the same spot for long periods of time before you realize it’s already too late.
Furthermore, many people involve themselves in various activities at the same time, which only hinders them from getting the desired results. They settle for anything that comes along instead of what they truly want and need.
You must focus all your energy, time and attention to one main goal and work hard towards achieving it.
For additional advice on how to avoid mediocrity, see the video below.
What are some of your own tips for escaping mediocrity?
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