I’ve given up on mediocrity. I’ve decided it just doesn’t suit me anymore.
When I wake up in the morning and browse through my closet of possibilities, mediocrity is always lurking in the forefront. It knows the exact time to flaunt itself, flashing loud and bright, saying, “Pick me! Pick me!” So, of course, I am enticed; it sure does look appealing, and it seems to be the easiest outfit to try on.
I slip on mediocrity and quickly side step into the view of the full length mirror. I think to myself “Well, this is comfortable, but I don’t look quite right!” I tilt my head to the right and to the left, squinting my eyes and imagining what my day would look like with this on while Mr. Mediocrity is whispering in my ear; “See how comfortable you feel and what a breeze this is? Come on, just keep me. Keep me.”
I whip up my head and eye myself suspiciously in the mirror. “Pish posh, this just will not do, look at you! Let’s find something more suitable.”
And so each morning, just like this, I choose against mediocrity. Often times, we wrestle and fight, kicking and screaming on the floor. And some mornings, mediocrity gets the best of me. This happens when my will gives out and I choose the easy route.
But let me tell you, when I choose to strip off mediocrity, bunch it up, throw it on the floor, and try on excellence, it is a whole different story.
Excellence likes to lay low in the back of the closet, in a shy kind of way. Excellence is that dress that is form-fitting and elegant and that sweet outfit that catches the light and shimmers slightly, emitting a glow about you. It’s that dress that you sort of have to wiggle and fidget into, but when you put the work in to it, it says “POW! LOOK AT ME! I have chosen excellence, and I look good.” The dress that, when you walk down the street, people have to take a double glance in your direction, just to make sure that you indeed are not a movie star. Of course, every time you pass a storefront window, you pause and look at your reflection, thinking, “Excellence sure does look good on me!”
Indeed,it is certainly a choice every morning, choice which can shape our character, habits, and future. Each day, we are faced with a multitude of decisions, and we will always have Mr. Mediocrity and Mr. Excellence perched on each shoulder. It is your choice as to who you listen to.
So do we choose the comfy slouchy shirt that allows us to blend in and look like everyone else? Or do we step out into the street with the glistening get up, choosing to stand out, because we have chosen the higher path? We have chosen to dress ourselves in excellence.
"Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny."
-Mahatma Gandhi
