All Things Inspired

Stop being average! You're capable of so much more.

Being average is ok, isn't it? I mean it can provide a sense of security. Nobody's going to point you out for criticism, right? The expectations put upon you will be minimal, correct? Sounds like a pretty good life, don't you think?...STOP! Just STOP! Stop being average! You're capable of so much more.

Being average, feeling a sense of security in what you're doing, avoiding criticism from others, and minimizing expectations all describe what it is like to be entrenched in a comfort zone. Some people may tell you being average is ok, that you don't have to prove anything to anyone. Just do what is comfortable. You may be telling yourself this very thing right now. From the beginning of this series (The Fundamental Steps to Transformational Growth), we have outlined the path to transformational growth. It takes constant focus and commitment to stay on course. It isn't easy. If it were, everyone would have reached their potential. This far into the process it is understandable that some self-doubt or feelings of being comfortable before starting this journey of growth, may be taxing your thoughts.

But if you are beginning to hear that little voice inside of you telling you that you can be so much more, perhaps maybe you're not quite ready to give up the pursuit of transformational growth. Take the following steps to avoid being average in your thoughts and actions daily. It's the small steps in the direction of progress that help you overcome the obstacles in achieving your goals.

Break free of your comfort zone - we've said before that nothing good comes from your comfort zone. Overcoming being average starts by breaking free of your comfort zone and pushing yourself to try something new.
Understand your purpose - this is where you begin to listen to that little voice telling you that you can be more than you ever imagined to be. Listen and act. Action will lead to more action and soon you'll be propelling toward success.
Value your time - there is so little of it. Don't dwell on past mistakes, put your purpose into motion now! To stop being average, you must have a sense of urgency toward accomplishing your goals.
Perseverance - we are all "new" at some thing at some point in our lives. Don't worry if you suck at it to start, just keep going, learning new things along the way will help you grow and improve.
Expectations - we said earlier that being average minimized the expectations of others. Well, to avoid being average, you must first have expectations of yourself. You can become the hero of your own success story. That only happens when the expectations you set for yourself far exceed the expectations of others.

It's not just about saying you're not going to be average. This two-week topic is about understanding that complacency is a destroyer. That you must develop mental toughness. Once you develop that toughness, you must be committed to being "all-in" with your determination. To stop being average, you will have to do a soul-searching gut check to make sure you are prepared to overcome this mental block of being average.

Let's begin by asking the question; are you too content? We've talked about failure numerous times and how it can be useful, not damaging in your personal and professional growth. You can absolutely grow from failure. But what about complacency? Complacency is tragic! It has no value toward growth. It's giving in and settling for less than what you are truly capable of.

It's been said that success breeds complacency. Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World, once said, "I will not allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency." I believe that many of us have experienced the fear of success. If we experience success today, it will be expected tomorrow and the day after, and the day after that. We fear the expectations that come with success will be too much for us to handle. So, we settle for mediocrity.

Or, we can overcome mediocrity and attack complacency. Some of the following may seem repetitive from past articles, but here is the foundation you must have to eliminate complacency.

A successful vision - can you see yourself being successful consistently? Can you imagine the change in your life this type of success will bring.
Win, celebrate, next - the best time to realize a new success is shortly after your last success. As Og's quote suggests, if you dwell on your success too long, it can create complacency if you don't focus on your next success. It's a mindset thing!
Avoid the rollercoaster effect - your next attempt at success might end in failure. Don't let this take you into complacency. Remember, failure leads to growth. Again, don't dwell in failure, learn, grow and move on to the next opportunity for success.
Be accountable to yourself - to do this you must remove the barriers to real change. This means venturing out of your comfort zone. Don't allow yourself to say, "I'm content now."
Doing what the unsuccessful won't - you must handle the unwanted tasks that have kept you from growth and success in the past. No excuses, handle the unwanted things first when your energy is at its greatest.
Surround yourself with other likeminded people - the key to overcoming complacency is surrounding yourself with successful people who are on the same mission as you, finding your next opportunity for success.

Don't be afraid to grow, end bad habits, leave mediocrity behind, and avoid negative and toxic people. Take the initiative to end complacency in your quest for success! Complacency is our greatest weakness, but with mental toughness, you can overcome it!

Your present circumstances never determine where you go, they merely determine where you start. Mental toughness is the ability to work hard and respond resiliently to failure and adversity. It's an inner quality that enables individuals to work hard and remain committed to their goals.

Mental toughness is about your habits, not your motivation. Building daily habits that allow you to stick to your schedule, overcome challenges and distractions along the way and remain focused on your purpose, your goal. Here's some ideas on sharpening the saw of mental toughness...

Do the hard things first - attack those tasks that are outside of your comfort zone.
Be goal specific - set small step goals that lead to reinforcing wins now and build toward big picture goals.
Be accountable - we must not blame the conditions around us but be accountable for doing what we can to move forward. Don't waste time on things you have no ability to make an impact on.
Dealing with problems - there are always going to be problems and challenges we must face. Deal with it!
Act as if you are in control - let your actions control your results. If you succeed you control it, if you fail, you control it. This is the mentality you should have. Don't waste energy on worrying about what might happen.
Guard your thoughts - mental toughness is controlling your thoughts to foster positive action. Replace weak thoughts with strong ones.
Learn from experience - our experiences of today, become our teacher for tomorrow. Learn from the mistakes, then let them go.

Just remember, complacency will rear its ugly head to each of us at some point. However, with improved mental toughness, you'll be up to the challenge. If you want to dig into the heart and soul of how to overcome being average, you'll want to read next week's article. It's about the commitment of being all-in and gut-checking yourself to transition from being average to being awesome! Until then...

Be inspired! Inspire others!