The Art of Being Average: why your mediocrity is the best part about you.

It is popular in today's culture to feel that exceptionalism is the route to success.

We are trained from an early age to strive for excellence in all aspects of our life: be the best athlete on the team to catch the eyes of the scouts; ace the exams to achieve the scholarship that will get you through to college.

What if we told you that being average had its advantages? You don't believe me. That's okay. I didn't believe me at first, either. Let's begin with the obvious.

Striving for mediocrity relieves us of the constant pressure to be extraordinary.

Perfectionism is exhausting, both mentally and physically.

And social media is the breeding ground of perfectionism. The flawless lifestyles, bodies, and meals that some people post about on social media make the rest of us question whether or not we live a "normal" life or have a "normal" physique or eat "normal" food. Imagine an endless round of Instagram vs reality.

Social media promotes an ostensibly perfect lifestyle, putting enormous pressure on us to live up to its unsustainable expectations. Perfection is an illusion.

Short list of when perfectionism is a positive:

• Perfectionism can keep a cake from looking like a child's art project when it's being decorated.
• Perfectionism can help you avoid putting the name of an ex in a love letter by accident.
• Perfectionism can keep you from going to work with a crease down the middle of your back when you iron a shirt.
• Perfectionism can help you avoid serving your date a raw chicken when making a fancy meal for them.
• When planning a surprise party, perfectionism can make sure that the balloons are all the same size and that the cake is cut into even pieces, because nothing says "happy birthday" like geometrically consistent desserts.

In all other circumstances in life, mediocrity is the way to go. Striving for mediocrity will help you establish a balance between ambition and contentment. Work hard and strive for achievement, but don't obsess over every detail or punish yourself for tiny mistakes. Learn to be satisfied with your efforts.

Seeking mediocrity frees up our thoughts to concentrate on what is genuinely important.

You run the risk of neglecting your relationships, interests, and health if you insist on perfection in every facet of your life. Yet if you strive for mediocrity in certain areas, you'll have more mental and physical resources for the things that really count. Spending time with loved ones and engaging in hobbies, for instance, might provide you greater happiness and pleasure than achieving professional achievement.

On hobbies:  Hobbies are more than simply a way to unwind from work; they are a great method to learn about the world. Engaging in activities that you like, regardless of your skill level, will help you lose track of time and experience a sense of accomplishment. This feeling spreads. Good hobbies demonstrate that life is more than simply working and striving to get ahead. For example, Rod Stewart devotes a significant amount of time to his model train collection.

Here is a short list of hobbies to consider:

• Extreme ironing: a hobby in which a wrinkled piece of clothing and an ironing board are taken to a strange place, like the top of a mountain or the middle of a river, and ironed there.
• Competitive dog grooming: a sport in which dog owners compete to give their pets the most unique and elaborate haircuts.
• Knitting graffiti: also called "yarn bombing," is a hobby in which knitted or crocheted yarn creations are put up in public places.
• Cheese rolling: people get together to roll a wheel of cheese down a hill and race after it as a hobby. Whoever gets to the bottom and gets the cheese first wins.
• Unicycle basketball: a sport that combines basketball and unicycling. Players ride unicycles and try to shoot a basketball through a hoop.

Aiming for mediocrity teaches us to appreciate the journey above the goal.

When we are too focused on obtaining perfection or accomplishing a certain end goal, we might lose sight of the journey's advantages and obstacles. When things don't go as planned, it's easy to get frustrated, upset, or even disillusioned. When we accept mediocrity, though, we may learn to enjoy the journey and find meaning in even the most little successes.

Accept mediocrity and enjoy the process of development and learning. The journey is worth celebrating, not just the destination.

A couple life quotes for you:

• "I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy-saving mode."
• "I'm not procrastinating, I'm prioritizing my hobbies."
• "I don't always aim for mediocrity, but when I do, I crush it."
• "I'm not failing, I'm just taking the scenic route to success."
• "I may not be living my best life, but I'm definitely living my life."
• "I don't strive for excellence, I settle for good enough."
• "I'm not mediocre, I'm just comfortably average."
• "I'm not lacking ambition, I'm just really good at enjoying the present moment."

Accepting mediocrity may lead to a more healthy and meaningful way of life.

We may achieve a balance between ambition and contentment by accepting our flaws and concentrating on what is important. We may take pleasure in the trip, prioritize our hobbies, and improve our general well-being.

"Imperfections are not flaws; they are reminders that we're all in this together," - American author and speaker Brené Brown.

We may learn to appreciate the journey and find pleasure in the little things in life by embracing our shortcomings and aiming for mediocrity. Instead of striving for perfection, let us appreciate the beauty of being average.