I was jogging the other morning, and when I say jogging I should amend this to trudging along. As I finished what had been my normal routine for a while I told myself I could do more. When I thought about it I could do a lot more. I chided myself and said “I am dissatisfied with mediocrity.” This may seem strange for someone who has exercise in their normal routine, so judge yourself on your own curve. My routine was mediocre for me. I was not challenged at all. So I continued to run and added more distance and speed to my workout. Then it hit me that I lived most of by trudging along. All the times that I could improve I chose to accept the status quo. Seth Godin in a blog post titled “The False choice of mediocrity” says

“Remarkable work is always not on the list, because if it was, it would be commonplace, not remarkable.”

Following is the definition of mediocrity and mediocre to add clarity to the sentiment.

me•di•oc•ri•ty
1. The state or quality of being mediocre.
2. Mediocre ability, achievement, or performance.
3. One that displays mediocre qualities

me•di•o•cre
Moderate to inferior in quality; ordinary

The last word of the definition is ordinary and that sums up many facets of our lives and we should strive for extraordinary. Now you have to decide what areas of your life does mediocrity has a strangle hold on and then shake it off. The difference between dominating and participating is small but significant. Decide to be great. The Bible has a take on this subject as well.

Revelation 3:15-18 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire,

Because most of us live an okay lifestyle we rarely challenge ourselves and with even more scarcity do we put our ideas and efforts in the fire to be tired like gold.

What are you areas of your life are you going to denounce mediocrity and set in the fire?