Brian Johnson argues that mediocrity means being stuck in the middle between what you're capable of and what you actually do. He draws on Todd Henry's Die Empty and the formula urgency plus diligence to explain how closing that gap reduces regret and anxiety.
Foreign. Hi, this is Brian.
Welcome back to another micro class.
This one's on let's not be Mediocre. Inspired by Die Empty.
Todd Henry, philosopher's note.
Great book. Mediocre. Did you know? I did not until reading this book that the Latin roots of the word mediocre are medius and ocras, medius and acris. Medius means, as you'd guess, the middle acris means a rugged mountain. So to be mediocre is literally to be stuck in the middle sad face of a rugged mountain. That's mediocrity. Stuck in the middle of a rugged mountain. Didn't quite have what it took to get up here and plant your flag. Yes, exciting. So, interestingly, there are a ton of synonyms for mediocre. Ordinary, average, middling, uninspired, unexceptional, prosaic, pedestrian. Okay, my apple dictionary goes off. It's got like a dozen more synonyms for mediocre. There's one and only one antonym to mediocre in my apple dictionary. You know what that is? Excellent. That is the antonym to mediocrity. If we want to get out of being stuck in the middle of this mountain, this rugged mountain, and summit our potential, we need to commit to excellence. That's why if I had to summarize my entire philosophy in one word, it would be the Greek word for excellence, Arete. Arete means basically to move from here to here, moment to moment to moment to moment. You have something you're capable of doing and being in any given moment. And if you are being here, sad face, you're going to feel anxiety, depression, ick. If there's a gap between what you're capable of being and what you're actually being in this gap exists. Regret, anxiety, disillusionment, et cetera. We need to close the gap. We need to live with excellence. We need to live with arte. The phrase that Todd comes back to again and again in his book is urgency plus diligence. We need to show up and get done what needs to get done.
Moment to moment to moment.
That's how we avoid being mediocre.
Hope you enjoyed.
How can you dial up your excellence a little bit more today and summit the peak of your potential? Look forward to sharing more soon. See ya.
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Basically a quick class on my absolute.
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It's pretty neat.
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