Since childhood, it has been drilled in our heads that do not be average, be outstanding then only you will succeed in life. This is true to a certain extent and we have been blindly following this dictat of our parents, teachers, and all elders. We are not cut out of certain roles in life; hence our performance is compromised. Nobody understands and appreciates that. They just force you that if it is on your plate – excel. Those were the times when your being average was looked down upon.
Times were hard, parents were worried about the future of their children. The nation was developing, aspirations were high and career options were limited. It looked like there were very few options for average people, hence the situation was challenging. But as times evolved…many new avenues opened. Average people started excelling in their fields of interest. Hence, being average started reaping rewards.
But what does it mean to be an average person?
Adjective [ADJ n] An average person or thing is typical or normal. The average adult man burns 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day. Synonyms: usual, common, standard, general More Synonyms of average.
The question remains, why it was not considered OK to be average? And why it is OK to be average? Keep in mind that to feel fulfilled and avoid those feelings of mediocrity, it is about more than just liking or being “good” at something. The secret to a joyous and impactful life is finding something that lies at the intersection of three things: what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what the world values.
How do you know if someone is an average person?
Here are a few signs that you are just like everybody else — average:
- You have never acted on an idea.
- You are not exceptional at anything.
- You have never been in a position of power.
- You are not the life of the party.
- You share or follow celebrities excessively.
Why is it better to be an average person?
Being average is not always disadvantageous, instead, it is a great advantage as it opens possibilities for constant improvements in life. People who think of themselves as average will keep looking for ways to improve themselves. They even become obsessed with doing better every day and every time.
Ain’t no man can avoid being born average, but there ain’t no man got to be common. Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.
It is okay to be average. You do not have to be the best at everything. There are plenty of people who are good at one thing and mediocre at another.
Is it OK to be average in life?
Mediocre means “average.” In any population, by definition, exactly half of that population is above average, and the other half is below average. When you look at it that way, there is nothing wrong with being mediocre at many or most things in your life. The trick is to find the one or two things that you excel at.
You are unique. You have different talents and abilities. You do not have to always follow in the footsteps of others. And most importantly, you should always remind yourself that you do not have to do what everyone else is doing and have a responsibility to develop the talents you have been given. — Roy T. Bennett
Being average is not all that bad, it is awesome!
If we compare life to a football team where every player plays in tandem to hit the goal. Here the leader is dynamic, some may be excellent, some may be good and some may be average, but when they play synergistically, they deliver a punch. This way we see that one superstar player will not get very far. It is the average players, working together and supporting each other, that make a winning team.
Similarly, in the work arena, it is the average employee who is the glue that holds everything together.
As I mentioned earlier society did not support people who were average or who displayed mediocrity. The standard definition of average is a statistical concept that is used to describe a central value that represents a group of data or values. The three most common types of averages are the mean, median, and mode. So, the numbers are in the middle.
In our social milieu, it has been noticed that “average” is what happens when you take a bunch of things, mix them all up, and then find the middle ground. It is the plain vanilla of data analysis, the beige of performance metrics, the meh of measurements. It is not exciting, it is not sexy, and it is not the stuff of legends. Being average means, you are not terrible, but you are also not amazing.
You are unrepeatable. There is a magic about you that is all your own. — D. M. Dellinger
Many times, it is perceived that people who are average and follow the path set for the masses are safe. They lead a risk–free life because it is common, but that does not mean it is not risky. Many people believe that if a lot of people are doing something, it must be the safest path. Even if you are average you need to chart your path to create a niche. You will safely be termed as “Above Average.”
This way be HappyHo!
