Distancing Yourself From The Ocean Of Mediocrity Is Painlessly Easy.

You simply have to do a little bit extra, all the time.

“The status quo refers to the existing state of affairs. What’s ‘acceptable’.

The status quo is where the baseline resides. Average. Mediocrity.

To rise above the status quo, you simply have to do a little bit more, consistently.

A little extra all the time creates distance.”

-Ray Zingler on X

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be great.

The best in the world at what I do.

And I’m not 100% sure, but I think the best way to go about a worthy pursuit like this is to start from within.

I think it starts with self-awareness.

Self-awareness of not only your strengths, but I’d argue more importantly your weaknesses and blind spots.

While I am an avid believer in doubling down on your strengths, I think being dishonest with yourself in regard to your weaknesses and being unaware of your blind spots can be more detrimental than the power of your strengths.

You’re only as strong as your weakest link, right?

This is as true for construction as it is your personal development.

I’m a 5’10” white guy.

I have an average IQ (probably below average).

I have average athleticism.

I live an average town.

And I come from a financially average (that grew to an above average) family of honest, hardworking, blue-collar folks.

I can think “I’m special” if I want to, but at the end of the day, I am a pretty average dude across the board.

I don’t say these things to beat myself up and nor do they make me think any less of myself (I am damn proud of who I am and my background.) I say these things because it’s important to acknowledge the truth.

Just as acknowledging I am very type A, can have obsessive, compulsive tendencies, and don’t always think things through before I act is very important when it comes to knowing and growing thyself.

And the reason these are critically important for me personally is because, again, I want to be great. The best in the world at what I do.

But if you’re like me, how do you do it? How do you give this average person, with average smarts, with average skills, and an average, modest upbringing a chance at being great when your “competitors” may have been born on 3^rd base.

You give yourself a chance by doing a little bit extra, all the time.

You do it with unreasonable discipline and consistency.

A little extra all the time creates (great) distance from the status quo dwellers, over time.