Mediocrity is a scary word. It’s a way of life that should be avoided like the plague but… a lot of people end up living out their days like a record player. Same song, different day. It comes in two forms: Contentment or Fear. Both of which are highly dangerous, depending on the lifestyle you truly desire.

Some people find gratification in what is average. Keep in mind, average is not bad. Average is.. safe, normal, and common. It’s what most human beings strive for. Contentment, to me, can be visually portrayed as an old man sitting in a rocking chair on his front porch and telling his pestering children to leave him be with a hidden smile on his face. Relatable, right?

Now, the dangerous form of contentment is the one that’s bred from laziness. The kind where you’ve hit your mark and anything further would be too much of a hassle but it’s a good thing that mark you reached just happens to be enough for you. That contentment feels right in the moment but before you know it, resentment can creep it’s way in.

We’re capable of much more than mediocrity, much more than merely getting by in this world.

Sharon Salzberg, Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection

The mediocrity that settles through fear is the one I’m most worried about in my life. To accept a mediocre life because fear wouldn’t allow my own glass ceiling to shatter is terrifying. Knowing me, the resentment that I would build towards myself and truthfully, towards other people would eat me alive. But that’s a battle I know I need to conquer.

What lifestyle do you associate with now? Which one do you desire? Choose one that brings fulfillment in every area of your life and not just one. It doesn’t mean you’ll have a perfect life but it’ll be one you’ve chosen to give yourself because you’re meant to be happy. You’re meant to succeed and fail and try again or move on to something different, maybe even something better.

What’s your definition of “everything”?

Your happiness should never be “settled.” You may not get everything you want, but wouldn’t those unattainable wishes be worth it by, at least, saying you tried? Then again, think about it: Is having “everything” really where happiness is found? I guess the real question would be, what’s your definition of everything?

Power? Money? Entitlement? Family? Your fulfillment has to come from what matters to you. If your mediocrity is in the form of contentment, you may already have everything you need and want. But if mediocrity is not a part of your fulfillment, start fighting harder for the life you deserve, not the one you believe is enough.