Why Mediocrity is a Choice and How You Can Opt for Greatness
It’s obviously Olympics time and hopefully you’ve been able to catch some of the worlds-best in action?
I’ve long believed that you don’t really need to understand the sport to appreciate greatness: Simone Biles’ incredible dexterity, Finn Butcher’s canoe magic or the 100m sprint madness where every athlete breached 10 seconds.
Ok maybe not the last, any greyhound, horse, cheetah or skilled human’s running full tilt is simply poetry in motion.
Anyway, it’s clear that to perform at the top level of sport, like life, you need motivation. So, from where does motivation stem? Here are some ideas that could help you to reflect and if desired, dig deeper yourself:
Clear and lofty goals: Athletes set clear, measurable goals, whether it’s achieving a personal best, winning a medal, or breaking a record. The goals provide a sense of direction and purpose, maintaining the focus and drive.
Support systems: Family, friends, coaches, and teammates play a crucial role in an athlete’s journey. Whether it's as a cheerleader or giving objective feedback, this network offers a real competitive edge, especially during tough times.
Competition and rivalry: Competition is as old as life itself. At a fundamental cellular level we compete for resources and survival. It's natural for us to want to best others, especially in structured competition. This competition also leads to innovation and the creation of new sports!
Recognition: I once heard it said of leadership that recognition is like oxygen. Be it a medal, a title, or even just representing your national pride, achieving recognition is awesome. The desire to get more of it is in itself intoxicating
Growth: So important. Overcoming challenges always leads to growth, and growth is about realising what we may be capable of.
Intrinsic passion: At the core, many people are driven by a deep love for their vocation - sport or otherwise. This passion fuels dedication and perseverance to overcome the many hardships faced along the journey to excellence.
I also believe that motivation can be developed. Often, people who demonstrate excellence have identified their motivations and worked hard to develop them. They have added knowledge, skill, experience and practice to consistently produce at the highest levels.
However, as always - there's a flip side: Without sufficient motivation, the best we can hope to be at anything, is just adequate. In other words, if we toil in areas where we have low motivation, we resign ourselves to mediocrity.
Don’t get me wrong - if you’re a 110+ golfist and love the walk or a slow long-distance runner and love jogging, keep it up! Just don’t expect to be on the podium anytime soon!
Cheers,
Josh
"Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
– Booker T. Washington
"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."
– Pelé
