Mediocrity is not a specter. It is a very real threat. It is possible that ninety-nine percent of the population consider that they have wasted a large portion of their life. Failing to accomplish even a glimpse of their potential. Why is this? Why do we fail to achieve what we know in our heart we are capable of. We dream of so much, yet procrastinate to the extreme. We accept mediocrity.
More than 2,000 years ago the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius beseeched us:
“Do not think that what is hard for you to master is humanly impossible… consider it to be within your reach.”
We know how far we are from the person we would like to be. Yet, still we flounder, or as I would rather express it, we lurk. We watch from the sidelines and fail to maximise our potential.
I recently joined a 1% club. My VO2 max, a measure of fitness, according to Garmin, is in the top 1% for my age and gender (in my early 60’s and male).
I am very proud of this accomplishment and will do my best to maintain it. While it may not be easy, maintaining my fitness levels is of significant personal value, something I worked hard to achieve, and will continue to do so.
There are other fields I would like to be in the 1% club. Many of those you will discover as I write these posts and through other media and articles.
Stagnation of everyday life
Others regularly remind me that I don’t waste time. For me that would be things such as sitting in front of a TV, dumb scrolling social media or news channels (online and offline). I don’t do those things! For sure it means I miss out on some conversation, but will it make a difference in my life if I never watch Game of Thrones or Peaky Blinders or the latest Barbie blockbuster movie? I sincerely doubt it.
In my case that would be succumbing to stagnation. This is a personal choice and others may decide that there is personal value in these activities - there is always a cost to the choices we make.
Hard work and patience
There are many examples of the 1% rule all around us. Even on social media platforms where 90% lurk, 9% add a short comment or repost content, and 1% are superusers who create content that frequently goes viral. Mr Beast on YouTube is one example.
Most businesses around the world follow, to some extent, the same rule. Although the 90% may not be lurkers in the sense of above, but they are generally stagnant and 1% are exceptional, or as some call them “A players”!
Distractions are harbingers of mediocrity
Things that distract us, take away our valuable time and prevent us from joining the 1%, or even the top 10%. The prolific economist, professor, blogger, podcaster and best selling author, Tyler Cowen writes:
“What is it you do to train that is comparable to a pianist practicing scales?” If you don’t know the answer to that one, maybe you are doing something wrong or not doing enough. Or maybe you are not very ambitious?”
The succinctness of this statement/question is precise - what is it that you do everyday to avoid the distractions of laziness and move you towards the 1% club?
All great accomplishments are the avoidance of gossip and brainless entertainment, which squanders nervous energy and draws us away from the fruit of concentration, practice and perseverance.
Life is full of great opportunities, the brain is plastic. It is worth building a tenacious focus on becoming the best that you can in something over a period of months and even years, there are so many domains where we can all join the 1%.
Stay curious
Colin
This is insightfully rare. I just last night began reading my copy of “Meditations of Marcus Aurelius” translated by George Long, The Peter Pauper Press found in my forgotten stack of books.
The One Percent is a very anticipated perspective and your writing is superb.