Welcome!
It is a great priviledge to be able to bring this your way. This week I embarked on a self audit of my life and how I have fared this year. I found that there were a number of low points that put me in very sombre and reflective mood and some tremendously high points that put me right into celebratory mode.
However, I also realised some spots I couldn’t exactly categorise as low points neither could I put them in the high point category. So if these didn’t make high or low points what can I classify them as? Well, sad and even embarrassing to say but they fall in the realm of mediocre. Yes mediocre; that place where you are neither extremely good nor extremely bad! Where the language is good enough and nothing stands out. You got it right; some parts of my life exuded mediocrity.
So what is Mediocrity and what is wrong with it? According to Dictionary.com, Mediocre is defined as;
‘Of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate: it has as it synonyms words like undistinguished, commonplace, pedestrian, everyday; run-of-the-mill.’
Again what is wrong with mediocrity? Well, mediocrity never stands out, mediocrity is just passable and mediocrity never changes anything. There are over 7 billion people in the world and to count in that huge number, mediocrity will not cut it.
The question therefore is; how do people become mediocre? Well, speaking from experience it begins with the choice not to push beyond what is; I really am very uncomfortable with some stuff that I will not mention today; but suffice to say that because I am uncomfortable with them doesn’t in any way make them bad nor are they not required to push the things I do. What this means is that I am mediocre in these aspects of my life not because I don’t need to be excellent in them, but because I have chosen not to step out of my comfort zone and push the envelope to get into them and get them done even if I am uncomfortable.
Given this confession above; how do I define mediocrity then? Mediocrity is the personal choice to be less than we have the ability to be. People say it is a culture problem, some say it is a status problem yet many others say it is a background problem. I however disagree and want to agree with John C. Maxwell, that mediocrity is a personal choice and a personal problem. Before it grows to affect the whole, mediocrity is first a choice of the parts.
So this week I am making a fresh commitment to deal with those areas of my life where mediocrity is ruling and here below are the steps I am willing to take.
o Stop the excuses and accept responsibility that this is a choice I have made over and over.
o Think through the process in the past and identify the triggers for the choices I make. I find that a love for comfort zones is the choice I make but this choice is triggered by the fear of the unknown.
o Reach for Excellence in small quotas and bursts; whatever excellence and more looks like to you. You have to reach first by yourself. Therefore replacing the choice to stay in the comfort zone with the commitment to push.
o Exert yourself, Examine your progress and Encourage yourself. Stepping out the comfort zone is first and foremost very discomfiting like saying here that I have areas of my life that I am at best mediocre. So it is an exertion to own this truth. Now that I have done that, I owe myself the responsibility to examine if my new action is adding value and to keep talking to myself that the discomfort will be worth it in the end.
o Tap into the resources available to you. To move past some of my mediocrity this week, I have had to reach into my resource bank and ask for help of someone whose passion levels in that area of life is higher than mine. It took a lot to ask for the help, but asking has opened a line of possibility to enable me move forward.
o Commit to the change that is suggested or the change that is envisaged. As uncomfortable as some of the steps in the process to get better in those areas of my life are; I am committed to make the change I have to make personally and to accept the change suggested so I can move away from mediocrity into excellence.
o Hold on. I already know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. I have the benefit of experience to know that not one thing I have had to push concerning has ever taken a day. So I commit to hold on for as long as this takes and keep pushing. Hopefully it won’t take forever, but even if it seems like it will, I am committed to hold on.
In conclusion, I have reviewed my mediocre status and I have arrived at the fact that the problem is entirely mine to resolve and in order to get that done I have committed to S-T-R-E-T-C-H myself out of my comfort zone and push the boundaries because as comfortable as mediocrity can be; there are too many people living that life right now and I will rather not be one of them.
So tell me, have you looked at your life lately? Do you find you have areas where you have thrived in mediocrity? Will you join with me and S-T-R-E-T-C-H? Email me Bidemi@bidemmarkmordi.com. Let’s do this together. Remember there are over 7 Billion people on earth and it takes more than mediocrity to stand out. According to Dictionary.com to stretch is to draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent. You want to live your life to it’s full extent, don’t you?
If you enjoyed reading this please share with your friends; they will thank you for it.
You will make it NeverTheLess… I promise you will.
Here is to your success.
Bidemi