Here’s how to fundamentally transform your life and become above average
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Being average sucks.
Being average means nothing but ordinary.
If you are an average person, it simply means you have no chance to stand out in the crowd.
Why do I want you to ditch “Average”? Let’s go down memory lane, shall we? Remember when you were in school? Have you ever seen anyone celebrate scoring a 50% on their assessment? I bet it will be weird to see a student running down the hall and shouting, hurray, I scored 50%. No one celebrates average. You did not do that while in school, so why do it now?
If I’m telling you to ditch “Average”, what can you do to become an above-average guy or gal?
I have three fundamental ways for you to transition from an average person to become extraordinary, and you do this by changing the way you think, act, and do things.
Think Differently
Group thinking kills our creativity. An average person does not think outside the box. They are okay with living with the result of other people’s thinking. If you can challenge how an average person thinks, you can transcend average and become better than average. To get started, let’s brainstorm some average thinking around us that we have all come to normalize.
An average man thinks, “this is the way they’ve been performing this task for many years; we should follow the same way whenever we need to carry out the task. An above-average mind will say, “Wow, maybe there is another way that will produce a better outcome for us.” Why not try a new way?
An average person is dominated and controlled by negative thoughts. These thoughts often keep them in a holding pattern preventing them from making meaningful progress. They think they can’t get ahead in life, so they don’t try. They think they can’t get the job they desire, so they don’t apply. They think they are not good enough to earn a promotion, so they don’t showcase their work. To become above average, you must consciously and intentionally replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Act Differently
Too often, average people play it safe all their lives. They try not to ruffle any feathers. They hold back from sharing their opinion. If you are in a meeting with an average person, you will hardly hear them contribute their opinion. They may have some thoughts about the subject being discussed but don’t want to appear stupid, so they choose the safe option of just keeping quiet. They are incredibly uncomfortable asking questions when they are in doubt. They are more comfortable with being told what to do. They can be good at following instructions, but anything that will require them to adjust will be a big challenge, and they will get stuck.
To be above average, you need to start acting like an above-average person. Your belief system is the first point of call if you must go from ordinary to extraordinary. You must believe in yourself and your ability to be who God has created you to be. You should stop settling for less than you desire and deserve. You’ve got to stop choosing only the safest option and follow your gut to create the life you really want to live. You are on a path to living an extraordinary life if you can align your belief system to go after what you want.
Do Something Different
Let’s “D-S-D” (Do something Different), average Joe. How do you feel about your average life? Hey, no offense, if you are happy with it, please continue to do what you do. I am all for loving and living your life on your terms. But, if any tiny part of your being is tired of being average, you’ve got to do something about it. Obviously, what you’ve been doing in the past has not been working. You need to D-S-D.
If you want to stand out in your career and life, you should do something different. I’m not necessarily advocating for a change in your career or business, but I am saying you should embrace excellence and always strive to go above and beyond the bare minimum. Be purposeful and intentional about everything you do. An average mind settles and takes whatever comes it’s way. No goal. No Plan. No Preference. To be above average, you need to get in the game of life and imagine the best-case scenario for everything you want — your ideal life; develop a plan, and go after what you want. There is no promise you will get everything, but you will be better off than living your life to chance.
Leaving some quotes here to motivate you as you go from average to above average.
“The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.”
― H L Mencken
“People love you when you’re average because it makes them comfortable.”
― Anonymous
“Be obsessed or be average.” ― Grant Cardone
“Average. It was the worst, most disgusting word in the English language. Nothing meaningful or worthwhile ever came from that word.”
― Portia de Rossi,
“Average is always a safe choice, and it is the most dangerous choice you can make.”
― Erwin Raphael McManus,
