Defeating Mediocrity: How to Upgrade Your Life from Average to the Top 1%
You don’t have to live a life of mediocrity
Photo by lucas wesney on Unsplash
Ever felt like life is passing you by, and you’re perpetually stuck in the “meh” lane?
Are you tired of feeling like you’re stuck in a life of mediocrity, watching the world pass you by while trapped in a sea of sameness?
You know that feeling deep down, the one that whispers in your ear, “Is this all there is to life? I know there’s more out there, but what?”
Recently, I read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. He discusses how most people live mediocre lives. He says, “The average American is 20 lbs overweight, $10,000 in debt, slightly depressed, dislikes their job, and has less than one close friend.”
I was shocked. I was determined to break free from the constraints of my ordinary life. I promised myself, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll get up and run.” And I did. It started an upward trajectory in my life.
You don’t have to live a life of mediocrity. You deserve to live a life that’s nothing short of extraordinary.
If you think you have no time, money, or energy, we’ll talk about how to get those back. So buckle up, my friend, and let’s kick mediocrity to the curb.
Master the Ultimate Life Skills
You’ll need a couple of things if you decide to commit.
First, you must know what you’re working toward. You’re striving for the 1% life, but what does that look like to you?
It’ll look different to everyone. Without knowing your goals, you have no roadmap for where you’re going.
You’ll wander around aimlessly with no clue what you’re doing. It’ll be no different than what you do now. Like a chicken with its head cut off, you’ll run around in circles getting nowhere.
Set meaningful goals for yourself and pursue them with a fiery passion. It’ll be the thing that keeps you going when you feel like giving up. It’s your why — the reason for being and doing.
The second is discipline. Discipline is the bedrock of any success. It keeps you working on your goals, day in and day out.
If you don’t have discipline, you’re destined to fail. To be disciplined, you need to show up every day. Commit to yourself and make some progress on your goals, even if it’s 1%.
In addition, you’ll need time management skills. You think you don’t have any extra time, but if you tracked your daily activities, you would be shocked at where you spend your time.
Track your time for a week. Note when you have breaks, even if they’re just 15 minutes. Notice when you’re blatantly misusing time, like watching Netflix or YouTube.
Once you’ve done that, you’re going to start time blocking. Time blocking is simple. All you have to do is find a calendar and set specific time aside every day for working on your goals. Remember those 15-minute gaps? Use them.
Now, let’s get into the good stuff.
Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash
Cultivate Your Winning Mindset
You need to accept a hard truth: if you don’t believe you can do it, you won’t be able to.
Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right. — Henry Ford
Your mindset is everything. You have to believe in yourself. If you can’t do that, you won’t win. So, how can you reframe your mindset? Like this.
Cut the flack
Everything in your life has an impact on you. Your family, friends, social media, and more. It’s in the television shows you watch and the billboards you see on your way to work. All of it takes up space in your subconscious, forming your belief system, leading me to my first point.
Cut out the negativity. You know what this is. It’s the Instagrammer who always posts pictures of their perfect life, making you feel envious and inadequate. It’s the friend who complains about her life whenever you spend time with her.
You’re letting negative thoughts and energy take up precious real estate in your brain. Instead, focus on programming your mind to focus on positivity.
Start by practicing gratitude. Write down five to ten things you feel grateful for. These don’t have to be big or monumental. They can be small. You might be thankful for eating pizza or your favorite band releasing a new single. It doesn’t matter what it is, just that you appreciate it.
Next, notice your self-talk. How often do you put yourself down? I bet it’s a lot. It’s natural to be insecure and have self-doubt. But you can reprogram your brain for better thoughts.
Acknowledge your negative thoughts and reframe them into something more positive when they arise. Try not to let your thoughts consume you. Often you’ll spend your time worrying about the past or anxious about the future. Find ways to come back to the moment and be present.
Repetition is your friend. The more you speak kind words to yourself, the faster you’ll believe them. Even if you don’t feel them initially, repeating them will help them come true.
Here are some of my favorite affirmations to get you started:
My power is too great to be contained
Everything is going to turn out okay
I can do anything I set my mind to.
Embracing failure
This step is going to be difficult. Society has conditioned you that it’s wrong to make a mistake and that failure is bad. It’s not. The only way you fail is if you give up.
Failure is a necessary part of growth. If you don’t fail, you’re not learning from your mistakes. Instead of seeing failure as bad, reframe it as learning. Every failure is a lesson in disguise. You have to figure out what it is.
You have to take risks. It’s going to be uncomfortable stepping outside your comfort zone. You stretch your limits and expose yourself to new things.
Give up your excuses and stop slacking off. You know you’re not trying hard enough. You make excuses, and it’s a way for you to play dead and go on living your mediocre life. But that’s not what you want. Right?
So, even if you’re afraid, jump and take the risk. You can still be scared but do it anyway.
And if you’re struggling along the way, know you can ask for help and feedback. Getting feedback will let you know if you’re heading in the right direction and let you know if you need to change things.
To do:
Cut out negativity
Practice gratitude
Change your self-talk
Give up excuses
Make mistakes
Photo by Lopez Robin on Unsplash
Build Powerful Habits for Success
Building a morning routine is one of the most powerful frameworks for success because it cues your body what to do.
At its core, a morning routine is habit stacking. That means you take a base habit, then add it to create a stack. This stack becomes the foundation of your day.
Start with getting a solid 7–8 hours of sleep every night. You can bookend your days with a morning and night routine. You build habits, and each pattern triggers the next.
Sleeping is so vital that morning and night routines can help set up your circadian rhythm.
You can make your morning routine whatever you want, but make them habits that set you up for success and growth.
My personal morning routine looks like this:
Wake up around 6:30 am
Meditate 10 minutes
Journal 5–10 minutes
Read 15–30 minutes
Walk outside
By no means do you have to wake up early. Productivity gurus will sell you on lies that you have to wake up at 5 am and take cold showers.
I’ve not a morning person, but I get up because I love the quiet before the rest of the world gets up.
You want to spend time every day focusing on yourself and your goals. It doesn’t have to be long.
If you have only fifteen minutes, you can do shorter practices or focus on one skill in that time block.
You can incorporate many habits into your daily life that will benefit you.
Read
Journal
Exercise
Meditate
Declutter
Go outside
Eat healthily
Learn new skills
Invest your money
Establish healthy boundaries for a balanced life
Setting boundaries is a great way to clarify your seriousness about growing. Keep your goals in mind every day. Put them up in your room, or create a vision board that inspires you daily.
Here are five tips for setting effective boundaries:
Learn to say ‘no’ to things that don’t align with your goals
Life will come up, and you’ll be faced with difficult decisions. Remember to make the best decision for you. Often, that will mean saying no to things that don’t align with your interests.
When you want something, ask yourself, “Will this bring me closer to my goals?” If not, don’t fall prey to instant gratification. Instant gratification is only temporary. It doesn’t last. If you want to reach the 1%, you’ll have to say ‘no’ and put your priorities first.
2. Limit exposure to news/media
This may be hard if you’re a news junkie, but it’s for your own good. It never shows anything positive. The news is a dumpster fire designed to promote anxiety and depression.
It does that because it keeps you from growth. If you’re too busy being anxious about climate change, you’ll be too preoccupied to make actual changes.
Don’t be fooled by the news.
3. Protect your time and energy
You have to protect your time and energy. Someone else will take advantage if you’re not relentlessly pursuing your goals. They’ll swoop in and command all your time and energy.
You’ll have to be brave enough to stand up to them. Let them know it’s non-negotiable.
4. Work hours/availability
Like protecting your time, you must make your work a sacred space. Set your work hours and stick to them. Close your door. Let your family know the ground rules.
Tell them not to disturb you and make it evidently clear when you are and aren’t available.
5. Self-talk
Don’t stand for your negative self-talk. Reference the section ‘Cut the flack.’ It’s a good reminder to keep your mental space sacred. Keep negativity at bay and positivity on the horizon.
Be kind to yourself, and focus on your progress, not perfection.
To do:
Build your morning routine
Set boundaries around your goals
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Connect with High Achievers to Level Up
You’ve heard the saying, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” right? So, make new friends who challenge you and spend time with people who inspire you to level up.
If your current circle doesn’t support your growth and cheer you on, it’s time to ditch them. Find people who are above you that’ll lift you.
Look for people a few steps ahead of you and talk to them. When you ask for their advice, take it, then report back to them.
Having more successful friends will challenge you. It’ll show you what’s possible. You’ll be surprised by what you’re missing out on.
An excellent way to do this is to join a mastermind of like-minded people. Meet people who have similar goals and are around the same level. Connect with them. Share your ideas and give feedback.
Masterminds are a fantastic way to connect with others.
The other thing you can do is hire a coach or a mentor. You may feel it’s expensive, but trust me, it’s worth it. Coaches help you grow.
They show you what you’re doing wrong, right, and what you can do better. They keep you accountable for your growth so you don’t give up and fail.
The people you meet will become lifelong connections for you.
To do:
Join a group
Make connections
Taking the Leap from Mediocre to Extraordinary
It seems complicated and overwhelming. The idea of breaking free from the average is daunting. It means leaving behind everything you know. You might doubt yourself and worry, “Can I really do this?” or “What if I fail?”
You’re on the precipice of greatness. You’re standing on the ledge of a cliff, heart pounding and adrenaline running through your veins. Take a leap of faith, and know you can do this.
Feel the fire within you. Let it fuel you on your journey to the top 1%. Don’t let fear and self-doubt hold you back. You’re strong, powerful, and capable of changing your life from average to extraordinary.
You’ve got the tools, knowledge, and determination to transform your life. Be fierce and bold with every step you take. Never settle for anything less.
Your time is now.
Ready to level yourself up and become the best version of yourself? Download my free journaling guide now.
Maggie Kelly is a freelance writer who writes about mental health, self-help, and psychology. Contact at maggiepkelly@gmail.com
