Imagine you are on a hiking expenditure. You have been preparing for this challenge for months, training your body and mind, gathering the right equipment and studying the route. You are confident and excited, ready to face the adventure and enjoy the view from the top.
But as you start your ascent the mountain, you notice something strange. There are many other climbers on the same path, but they don’t seem to share your enthusiasm. They are slow and sluggish, dragging their feet and complaining about the weather, the rocks, the altitude. They are not looking at the horizon, but at their phones, their watches, their snacks. They are not here to conquer the mountain, but to check a box on their bucket list.
You try to ignore them and focus on your own pace, but they are everywhere. They block your way, they bump into you, they make noise and litter. They are not only ruining your experience, but also endangering your safety. You wonder why they are here at all, if they don’t appreciate the beauty and challenge of the mountain. You wish they would just go back to their comfortable couches and leave you alone.
You have just encountered the mold of mediocrity.
Mediocrity is the quality or state of being mediocre, which means not very good, ordinary, or average. The problem with Mediocrity is not a lack of talent or potential, but a lack of effort, passion, and purpose. Mediocrity is settling for less than you deserve, accepting what is given to you without questioning or striving for more. Mediocrity is being content with the status quo, following the crowd, and avoiding risks and challenges.
There are mediocre in different aspect of life be it professional, spiritual and even personal development. According to a Gallup survey conducted in 2017, only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged in their jobs, meaning they are enthusiastic about their work and committed to their goals. The rest are either not engaged (67%), meaning they are indifferent or passive about their work; or actively disengaged (18%), meaning they are unhappy or resentful about their work.
Mediocrity is a mold that grows on you over time, if you let it. It starts with small decisions and habits that seem harmless or convenient at first, but gradually erode your confidence and creativity. It feeds on your fears and doubts, your excuses and rationalizations, your complacency and comfort. It shapes your mindset and behavior until you become one of those climbers who don’t care about the mountain.
But mediocrity is not inevitable. You can break free from its grip and reclaim your power and potential. You can choose to be different, to be better, to be extraordinary. You can choose to climb the mountain with joy and determination, to overcome the obstacles and reach the summit. You can choose to live a life of excellence.
Excellence is not a destination, but a journey. It is not a fixed standard or a final goal, but a continuous process of improvement and growth.
Nicholas Alifa
Excellence is doing your best with what you have in every situation. It is pursuing your passion with enthusiasm and dedication. It is challenging yourself to learn new skills and overcome new difficulties. It is seeking feedback and making changes to improve your performance. It is setting high standards and expectations for yourself and others. It is creating value and making a positive difference in the world.
Excellence is not a destination, but a journey. It is not a fixed standard or a final goal, but a continuous process of improvement and growth. Excellence is not a gift or a privilege, but a choice and a responsibility. Excellence is not something you have or achieve, but something you do and become.
Excellence is a habit that you cultivate over time, with practice and discipline. It starts with small actions and decisions that align with your values and vision. It feeds on your curiosity and courage, your motivation and perseverance, your gratitude and generosity. It shapes your mindset and behavior until you become one of those climbers who inspire others with their example.
The choice between mediocrity and excellence is yours to make every day, in every moment. You can either conform to the mold of mediocrity or break free from it. You can either climb the mountain or watch others do it. You can either live a life of regret or a life of fulfilment.
The choice is yours.