Bashing mediocrity is amazing for business
... and business doesn't like it when you're content
Today’s mediocre thought starter:
Two men are playing tennis together. After an exhausting three-set match, both of them win. How can this be?
Find the answer at the end of this email. If you were forwarded this email, subscribe here so you can be the one annoying your friends with lateral thinking.
Why do we hate mediocrity?
Because businesses have spent trillions of dollars over the past decades to make us feel special.
It’s because regardless of how rational we think we are, we act on pure emotion. We’re essentially an output machine for whatever the input is.
Anyone who works with enough people will realize this.
How can Nike sell you a vision of a greater you if you’ve accepted that you’re probably not gonna be a great athlete?
How can coaches convince you that their lifestyle method™ will make you earn more, be happier and have more free time?
How could I convince you to read a lateral thinking newsletter if you wouldn’t strive to get better?
Competition is one of the best growth drivers out there. When you compete against another person, however, you can’t always find motivation because the truth is we’re not born equal. It’s easy to find an excuse why John is more athletic or why Samantha is wittier.
Mediocrity, however, is a faceless enemy. It’s generic and can always be pulled out of the hat to convince you to buy or do more.
The etymology of the word “mediocre” is interesting: it basically means climbing a mountain only halfway.
The problem is sometimes you want to go camping and stopping halfway is just fine. Maybe you aim for a peak or two if that’s your thing, but making that the norm creates an endless circle of frustration.
Learning to love your mediocrity will let you focus on the things that matter to you.
Answer: it was a doubles match.