I think we all feel the ever-present cringe of mediocrity. From time
to time, it's important to ask 'Am I doing the best I could be? Am
I using my talents in a way that inspires myself and others around
me? Am I thriving?' I don't believe anyone is ever fully thriving
all the time - 24/7. That would be paradoxical. The subterranean
yearn that we sense from within is what drives us - if you were
fully 'arrived' or 'thriving', what would push you forward?
No one wants to be mediocre...and yet, we make friends with
mediocrity on a daily basis. I bathe in it when I play video games
instead of being creative or writing. I bask in its glow when I
let coffee meetings with friends fall to the wayside so I can
'take time to rest'. It's a silent killer but there is no drug or
medication that can kick it.
A safe assumption, then, might be to say that everyone needs
to be mediocre...for a time. Saturdays? Sure - put on those
sweat pants and watch Will Ferrell movies for 6 hours.
We can't be hyper-creative beings all the time. Mediocrity can
bring rest and refreshment and a knowing that moving
beyond it is necessary to grow. To dwell within it and get stuck
within its grasp, though, can be a subtle and nearly invisible
process. I've seen it happen to many (including myself at
times) and it can be hard and very offensive to pin-point.
How do you tell a friend that he or she has become mediocre?
