Don't Let The Fear of Mediocrity Stop You From Trying

Are you afraid of failing? Fret not, you’re not alone! We're all fearful of being incompetent (to a certain extent), be it in our respective schools, workplaces, homes, or even just life in general. In a competitive society like ours, it’s virtually impossible to not aim for perfection in all aspects of our lives when everyone’s trying to be the best—we’re hardwired to steer clear away from mediocrity because in our society, mediocrity ≠ success.       

That’s far from the truth because all of us started from the bottom. Sure, some are blessed with a growth spurt and bloom earlier than others, but just like plants, we grow at different speeds and that’s perfectly fine, really! Perhaps you’re not the best at mathematics in class (aka me), or you feel inadequate after comparing yourself to that one colleague at your workplace because of the skills he/she possess, I’m here to remind you to not let that demoralize or deter you from reaching your fullest potential.

Don’t let the fear of being mediocre stop you from trying! Instead, allow yourself to make mistakes, go and take up challenges and above all, try to get rid of your fixed mindset and adopt a growth mindset. We, as humans, have the tendency to believe attributes, such as talent and intelligence are rigid when in reality, they are not. We should try to adopt a growth mindset—having a growth mindset means believing in yourself and your ability to change, learn and develop. As what Carol Dweck wrote in her book, Mindset: “no matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”