“Mediocrity–it takes a lot less time and most people won’t notice the difference until it’s too late.”
– Larry Kersten, American Sociologist and Author
“I didn’t say it was your fault. I said I was going to blame you.”
– from a T-shirt
“Hmmm,” you might be wondering. “So, if the headline mentions just one of them, why a quote on mediocrity, and also one on blame?”
Well, the point is, it does take a lot less time to be average. Somewhere less than Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours, to be sure. And, most people won’t notice. Besides, if a connection is harder to make to the results, then it’s easy to blame someone else for the failure.
Blame is a loser’s game, and mediocrity is a loser’s reward. By mediocrity, I don’t mean “average,” either. I mean taking the easy way out. The short cut that is just shorter, not better or smarter. The path that won’t make a difference.
Difference makers choose the more difficult path. To do it right. It may be a lot of work. My friend, Dr. Graf, often said, “Knowing the right thing to do is almost always easy. Doing it, however, might be a bit more difficult.” In the long run, however, it will pay off!
Why do we accept mediocrity? Why do we blame? Because it’s the path of least resistance.
To make a difference, we have to be ready to encounter — and conquer — resistance. The right people will notice and then blame won’t be the issue — enjoying the difference that was made will be.
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