BETTER THOUGHTS: Mediocrity.
Hmm..
Lately, I have been doing a great job at being me. I'm on time (unless random things pop up), I'm usually kind, I work hard, I have fun, ya know, the usual. I've been so good at being me that I was chosen to go to brunch with the man/guy/gentleman/dude (? take your pick, whichever you think is the most appropriate) who started the company that I work for. Yep! I had brunch with the type of guy you expect Richard Branson to be. Funny, in good health, brilliant, mega rich, and reachable. **I DIDN'T HAVE BRUNCH WITH RICHARD BRANSON** (YET!)
So we're chillin', the nine of us, and we start to talk about BHAG's (company jargon for BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS--goals that really scare you but you want to accomplish in the next 10 years), the philosophy of the company, and marijuana, etc. #slightWORK We ask interesting questions and hear interesting and surprising answers. The food was really good and the company was great. The entire table was stock full of personality, quirkiness, and glow. We laughed, I'm sure we would have sang if the chance arose, and we listened to each other fully.
Here is where I get to the point...
The vision of my company is: elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness
In that four hours time where we literally were hanging out with a true visionary, one of the big things that I can remember are how his voice, temperament , and body language changed when he was talking and suddenly the word "mediocrity" came out of his mouth. When it fell out, he filled up with passion about and maybe a bit of pity (unless that's not a Landmarky thing to say) for how people live mediocre lives. How okay we are with just getting by. How averted we are to being great, and how it's almost first nature for us to dwell there and build our lives on that weak foundation!
I didn't shrink, because that man is really a good person, so his intention was to simply state the facts; but I did feel like he was talking about ME for those few, long, seconds.
DON'T GET ME WRONG!!! .. I do a lot of great things every day! I feel my greatest when I workout, help/encourage others while training or coaching them, and when I make people laugh. I think that there is greatness in everything. At the same time, however, I do know that I make a lot of decisions that aren't in my favor almost every day. Putting a workout off 'til the next day, waiting 'til the last minute to bust a move from my house to work, skipping a study session just 'cause I'd rather watch videos online for another 20 minutes.. All choices I make, regret, and make again way too often.
By definition, mediocre means: of only moderate quality; not very good. It doesn't mean that you or I suck. Or that we are unworthy of life. It simply means that there is not much quality to us or that we're not very good/good enough to remember (think: legacy). It means regular. Everyday. "Unthrilling".
So my question is how can we all be GREAT? While we're on our way to our family, first million dollars, tenure, or retirement, how can we be great at it? Let's face it, we all don't want to pop champagne bottles at the club nor do we all want to beg for food and shelter! I do think that we all inherently want to be remembered, though.
Brendon Burchard has based a lot of his work on this statement:
Lately, I have been doing a great job at being me. I'm on time (unless random things pop up), I'm usually kind, I work hard, I have fun, ya know, the usual. I've been so good at being me that I was chosen to go to brunch with the man/guy/gentleman/dude (? take your pick, whichever you think is the most appropriate) who started the company that I work for. Yep! I had brunch with the type of guy you expect Richard Branson to be. Funny, in good health, brilliant, mega rich, and reachable. **I DIDN'T HAVE BRUNCH WITH RICHARD BRANSON** (YET!)
So we're chillin', the nine of us, and we start to talk about BHAG's (company jargon for BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS--goals that really scare you but you want to accomplish in the next 10 years), the philosophy of the company, and marijuana, etc. #slightWORK We ask interesting questions and hear interesting and surprising answers. The food was really good and the company was great. The entire table was stock full of personality, quirkiness, and glow. We laughed, I'm sure we would have sang if the chance arose, and we listened to each other fully.
Here is where I get to the point...
The vision of my company is: elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness
In that four hours time where we literally were hanging out with a true visionary, one of the big things that I can remember are how his voice, temperament , and body language changed when he was talking and suddenly the word "mediocrity" came out of his mouth. When it fell out, he filled up with passion about and maybe a bit of pity (unless that's not a Landmarky thing to say) for how people live mediocre lives. How okay we are with just getting by. How averted we are to being great, and how it's almost first nature for us to dwell there and build our lives on that weak foundation!
I didn't shrink, because that man is really a good person, so his intention was to simply state the facts; but I did feel like he was talking about ME for those few, long, seconds.
DON'T GET ME WRONG!!! .. I do a lot of great things every day! I feel my greatest when I workout, help/encourage others while training or coaching them, and when I make people laugh. I think that there is greatness in everything. At the same time, however, I do know that I make a lot of decisions that aren't in my favor almost every day. Putting a workout off 'til the next day, waiting 'til the last minute to bust a move from my house to work, skipping a study session just 'cause I'd rather watch videos online for another 20 minutes.. All choices I make, regret, and make again way too often.
By definition, mediocre means: of only moderate quality; not very good. It doesn't mean that you or I suck. Or that we are unworthy of life. It simply means that there is not much quality to us or that we're not very good/good enough to remember (think: legacy). It means regular. Everyday. "Unthrilling".
So my question is how can we all be GREAT? While we're on our way to our family, first million dollars, tenure, or retirement, how can we be great at it? Let's face it, we all don't want to pop champagne bottles at the club nor do we all want to beg for food and shelter! I do think that we all inherently want to be remembered, though.
Brendon Burchard has based a lot of his work on this statement:
"At the end of our lives, we will all ask: Did I live? Did I love? Did I matter?"
No matter how much we try to fight it, you know he's right. What makes it even worse is that we KNOW that in order to get the answer we all want, "YES", we MUST do great things day in and day out to achieve it.
We have to do the little great things and the big great things! Go to our workout. Tell that guy/girl to stop texting because it's upsetting our loved one. Move to another city. Get your LLC. Those ALL count and they all are the extreme opposite of being basic.
There's actually nothing more to say because it really does speak for itself. Spending time every day or week perfecting our craft (the current craft and the craft that you hope will become your main craft eventually) so that our skill is undeniably great and is impossible to be denied or deemed uninspiring, unlovable, and unimportant. At the same time, it means that we spending time every day/week doing great things for ourselves and the ones we love. We might take baby steps in the beginning, but once we get the hang of elevating ourselves, we will be hooked and taking leaps and bounds instead. I'll even be daring to say that it might turn us into JUNKIES! Greatness seems like the one high that can be topped and isn't of any danger to ourselves, careers, or families doesn't it?
There's actually nothing more to say because it really does speak for itself. Spending time every day or week perfecting our craft (the current craft and the craft that you hope will become your main craft eventually) so that our skill is undeniably great and is impossible to be denied or deemed uninspiring, unlovable, and unimportant. At the same time, it means that we spending time every day/week doing great things for ourselves and the ones we love. We might take baby steps in the beginning, but once we get the hang of elevating ourselves, we will be hooked and taking leaps and bounds instead. I'll even be daring to say that it might turn us into JUNKIES! Greatness seems like the one high that can be topped and isn't of any danger to ourselves, careers, or families doesn't it?
SO where and how are you the most mediocre in your life? Where are you great? How can you elevate? By when?
LET'S GO, FOLKS! Mediocrity is not our fate and is certainly not required of us at all. Be great, don't explain yourself, and don't apologize for dripping it on the carpet as you exit the waiting room. I'll see you all at the top!
I LEAVE YOU WITH A WORD FROM KANYE WEST:
"I ain’t here to apologize to no muthaf–kers man."
lol
THE END.
RANDOM THOUGHT AFTER INITIAL POST: CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WAKE UP AND BE GREAT EVERY DAY??? LIKE... EVERY DAY? Where you go to bed because you lived a full, great, inspired life each night? That must be amazing!! I hope to do every day so well, that I am inspired by my own dang self. THAT REALLY MUST BE SOMETHING... *hopeful sigh & smile*
RANDOM THOUGHT AFTER INITIAL POST: CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WAKE UP AND BE GREAT EVERY DAY??? LIKE... EVERY DAY? Where you go to bed because you lived a full, great, inspired life each night? That must be amazing!! I hope to do every day so well, that I am inspired by my own dang self. THAT REALLY MUST BE SOMETHING... *hopeful sigh & smile*