Overcoming Mediocrity
Baaahhhh!
In Australia, it is called “Tall Poppy Syndrome” (the tallest poppies get cut). In Scandinavia, it is called Jante Loven (or Jante’s Law). Many countries weave a societal pressure into their cultural fabric, teaching youth to not stand out, to fit in, and to tow the community party line. The goal of such behavior is to promote a sense of “equality”, cultural identity and a feeling that everyone is equal.
However, what these phenomenon’s spell out to me, is a social goal of mediocrity. Shoot for the middle. If you are in the middle, you might feel that that you are gaining a sense of security.
Such social pressures are not only present down under and in the far north. It is found in many countries of the world, including America. Any public high school student can tell you about the social pressures they face in school—to not be different, to not stand out. One may argue, “Well, that is in high school—not adult life”. To such thinking, I would point out that our adult personality and believes stand on the shoulders of our experience as youth. Then I would point out the popularity of homeowners’ associations.
As individuals, at some point, each of us must ask the question of ourselves, “Will I commit the ‘the system’ and tow the party line or will I create my own path, follow my own instincts, be the individual I am”?
Will I fit into the flock and be a sheep or will I go a different way and be a wolf?
Mediocrity stifles creative opportunity and prohibits innovation. After all, in order to innovate, we must step outside of “the typical”, outside of our societal and cultural norms.
One of the things I love about the burgeoning discipline of Entrepreneurial Arts Training is that it is a system that pushes people to strive for their personal best, to overcome obstacles, to obtain their dreams, to compete in the market and to innovate, to fill cultural gaps, to serve something more than ourselves, and to promote change as we go.
Certainly, the goal for entrepreneurs is, at times, to overcome the competition (after all, they must vie for the limited audience and resources that may be out there). But what I love is that the discipline demands that the entrepreneur strive for excellence. There is just too much competition out there to do anything less than one’s personal best. Entrepreneurial Arts Training pushes artists to push themselves, to realize vision. Realizing vision demands a commitment to adventure and adventure has a way of pushing people beyond their understood limitations and comfort zones.
Be honest with yourself. Are you operating at your personal best, your highest sense of self? If yes, I applaud you. Many don’t. If you answered, “No”, ask yourself, “Why Not”? What steps can you take, today, to alter your course, to put yourself into motion towards realizing your highest potential?
Here is a tip on discovering what that is: Listen to that voice within—not the one that judges (the watcher at the gates of the mind), but the one that instinctively knows right from wrong. That voice will tell you. It knows your potential. Get into a dialog with that voice and listen, listen, listen.
But, here is a tricky thing about that voice… Sometimes it tells us things that we do not want to hear. It sometimes has a way of demanding change—change of action and change of self. That voice can push us very hard and knows if we did our best or if we settled for mediocrity.
Are you willing to listen to that voice and push down the judgmental one, “the watcher”? Are you willing to step outside of a possible herd mentality? Are you willing to accept uncertainty and a need for change and operate from your own values, desires and interests?
If you said, “Yes” to all of these things, you may have the makings of an entrepreneur.
Jim Hart is the founder of The Hart Technique, The International Theatre Academy Norway, and Sleeping Hero Productions, LLC. www.harttechnique.com and sleepinghero.com
Ironically enough, the pastor at the church I work at had a very similar sermon to your post, but you two had different points in your argument. I absolutely agree with you. The people who have made into the history books got there by making a conscious decision to be black sheep.
One day i came home from high school and started talking to my mom about how retarded the social make up was, she told me to get used to it, it’s high school for the rest of your life. the tallest poppy get cut to be put on display in my bouquet.
Just to be ironic, your post is a very standard, middle ground thing to say for an artist, arts teacher, and entrepreneur. however it can not be said enough.
I should add, this attitude was instilled in us by those who stood out so that we would not threaten them, also b those who do not stand out because of the same reason. governments have been executing radical thinks for thousands of years, jesus, is the most famous.
And by the same token, promoting “Standing Out” as something to do can be highly effective. I use Stand Out in a Crowd as an advertising slogan for Lisa’s Clarinet Shop. I reflect it often with flowers that “stand out from the crowd” by showing the other flowers in grey and the one beautiful flower in full detail and color. It is quite effective.
A leaders attitude about standing out and how it is reflected has a lot to do with if it is accepted or rejected.
Dear anonymous or “yea”, posted Nov. 16.
Thank you for your comment. I notice you are writing from Duquesne University. Dr. David Cutler, from Duquesne University, is quite active on this blog. He is promoting a book. I recommend you check him out. http://www.savvymusician.com