Steady now, it’s finally day FOUR of Mediocrity Week!

mediocrity 4

The Invitation

Note the quote says it’s an invitation.  That means you do not have to accept it.  Having a regular paycheck at a steady job has within it the temptation to become mediocre. It does not mean it is a requirement.  It is something to watch out for though because mediocrity in the work world is like a long term habit that leads to a disease that you don’t know you are acquiring until it is too late.

My Wife’s Resistance

My wife, Linda, is a business woman. She has worked in the same industry with the same company (bought and sold many times over) for over 20 years.  She has had every opportunity to become settled and mediocre in her job but she hasn’t.  She has always been committed to doing her job really well.  There have been years and years of her building up effective business structures and procedures only to see them be dismantled by those who came after her.  On a regular basis she is asked to go back in years later and clean up the detritus of failures and rebuild what she built before.  And she does it.  She has done this with the higher ups almost never realizing the incredible ability she has to do those things again and again. And the reason she can do them? Because she is dedicated to be not just competent but excellent at her job, whatever it is.

Tombstone

So, I have seen it done.  The key is the desire to be excellent has to be internal. It cannot be decided by if you are high on your job at any one moment or not. It can’t be decided by the recognition, the salary, the perks.  It has to be driven from your character. YOU have to want to be excellent apart from anyone or anything else.  Just YOU.  

If you are wondering if you want to be excellent, imagine having a tombstone that says, “Here Lies a Mediocre Human”.  

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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is married to an excellent woman.

Quote is Anonymous

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Mediocrity Week has so far had visits from 36 countries including:

  • Latvia
  • Zimbabwe
  • Uganda
  • Suriname
  • Algeria
  • Malaysia
I am not sure why I think it’s cool that the NDD is so international in its reach but I do.
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