Why You Should Embrace Mediocrity | Crispin Thurlow | TED 

I grew up poor. I love my boring ordinary life, even if it's not "exciting." I got my home, garden, dog & sometimes get to do fun things. I increase my salary & pay off debts, increase retirement contributions & savings.

By fighting mediocrity we can never be great But by accepting mediocirty we open the possibility of greatness

It was a very large and bitter pill to accept my life wasn't going to be what I had hoped, eventually I did though and I am WAY happier being mediocre, I only do what I want now and have completely cut out all the guilt and sense of obligation as well.....The less you want the more you have really is true.

I teach at an "elite" prep school where students are pounded with messages of superiority; every kid says they are a Perfectionist. I explain that, if you are a perfectionist, then you are doomed to fail at your goal. Have you ever met a person who does everything perfectly? I have AP math students who are getting a C in Studio Art; they literally can not do it and do not understand it, yet they all believe they are superior perfectionists. How does that work? To circumvent the cognitive dissonance they denigrate what they are mediocre at.

Love this. It's hard to find a sane balance between wanting more for yourself and enjoying the lack of strain that comes with relaxing into mediocrity.

wonderful life-changing words. I loved it. just aspiring to be better is enough, not everyone has to be the best.

Excellent talk. Be happy not being number 1. Less stress for sure.

All we need to strive for is never to be mediocre in our gratitude, efforts, and hardwork and desire to learn and brave enough to try

Well, the situation we are in is like we are facing a horrendous wind against us. This wind symbolizes the difficulty of being a spectacular (not mediocre) person. If you give up totally and become depressed, the wind pushes you backwards to a death trap (complete depression), if you try harder to push forward, you probably can't since most people can't, and the only thing you get is extreme exhaustion and after some time you go back to the previous option. The only option is to try to keep your position without exhausting yourself. Not back, not forward. But this is also very hard, because of the constant extreme wind. This is like accepting mediocrity and living a decent life is being constantly vulnerable to inputs from the pop culture around you that anathematizes you for being "just mediocre" because every input we get from outside is about making ourselves super human, better than others, unique, better/best version of ourselves, etc. Since this is an inevitable consequence of the economic system which is all about persuading people and selling products, this problem will stay.

01:02 🧠 Two important lessons from everyday language: Words are influential but meaning can be slippery, and language of superiority can lead to disappointment. 01:50 🤔 Philosopher Alain de Botton's concept of "status anxiety": Constant worry about not being good enough or needing to be better. 02:37 🔄 Reclaiming mediocrity: Understanding its Indo-European roots meaning "middle," acknowledging life in the middle is statistically inevitable, and recognizing it as a privileged place. 04:17 📈 Relentless language of superiority and comparison: Examining the use of the word "elite" in various contexts, highlighting its ubiquity and potential impact on perceptions. 07:09 🌟 Language of "premium" and comparison: Exploring the concept of premium as having a little bit extra compared with others, its profitability for businesses, and its prevalence in various products and services. 09:07 💬 Symbolic violence: Discussing how words manipulate individuals against their best interests, with social comparison leaving people feeling insecure, inadequate, and unsatisfied. 09:35 🤝 Embracing mediocrity as a key to contentment: Acknowledging the inevitability of averageness, finding value and privilege in being unexceptional, and having the courage to be ordinary in a world of constant comparison.

Use mediocrity as a tool to live within your means. Take the money you save and invest it or even just save it. Now you lead a life with less stress.

I think the best message here is less of an its okay to just be par at everything and perhaps more of an accept yourself where your at. Far to many people are expecting themselves to be good or even great at everything. Only by accepting where you are at here and now can you really begin any journey in life and even more so importantly stop living in an expectation set as a standard by anyone else outside of yourself. The root of much suffering exisits in ones self and the interprtation of expectations of others onto ones self.

I truly believe in intrinsic value and that humbleness is unconditional love for yourself and others. I also think being selfless is important to because it is not neglecting yourself it is just not making yourself the main focus. We’re not here to be special we’re here to hangout with other humans.

The only comparison I find useful is to how I was in the past. Am I developing and improving on my past self? I know that I am. What is not helpful is trying to be the best in your field and comparing yourself to other people. To be enough for the life you actually want is a great place to be.

I enjoyed this talk very much. Thank you for doing it.

Such a amazing idea so beautifully presented!

Very good speech. 👏👍 There's a saying that I think support the opinions expressed in it: "Perfect is the enemy of good". Being "only" good at something is most often okay. More important is that you want to strive for being better - but to do that without stress.

I was not too happy when I first listened to this, because I think the message being conveyed is that you should just settle with what you have because your fate is sealed, you are just mediocre. After finish listening to the whole speech my understanding shifted somewhat. I think he is really trying to say that we should embrace "not being the best" and being pressured to only be the best. It's unrealistic and painful, but it's what people around us, our parents teachers and fellow students and colleagues are pushing us to become. However I believe that the reason a lot of people are just "mediocre" is because they get pushed around and pressured by all those factors around them without really finding something they are passionate about or "trying to be a bit better than yesterday". I would say you should stop looking ONLY externally and trying to "be the best" at every single area or field you dip your toes in. It's unrealistic and not really a plan to get you anywhere. There are still tons of things I don't know and there is always new tech emerging and new things to learn. If people just take it literally and "embrace staying in the middle", would we want our children to live the same lives as we did? Being inspired by others and improving our own abilities and capabilities should be what we embrace. We should embrace that we can be better than yesterday, we should embrace we would probably (and almost certainly) never be the best, so instead of making "being the best" as a goal, make it something that inspires us to learn and improve. That's my understanding.

Amazing perspective

It’s competing with others that causes the “symbolic violence”-indeed which can be and is toxic… competing however with yourself and who you were were yesterday is the healthy component of the culture of excellence… two very different things.. The key is not that everyone has to be at the top but to keep striving to do better just for the sake of doing your best, exploring your potential abilities by just going the extra mile.. the trick is to build, not lose, your self esteem by the self fulfilling and rewarding effort made. In doing so there is also improvement in the world and its general ethic/culture.

As a software engineer, I find it concerning that most job adverts ask for a "talented software engineer" or similar... Can't I just be a solid engineer, who knows his craft well? Why do I have to present myself as a superhuman deity to get an interview?

Great talk

love this

Loved it.

Prefiero abrazar la simplicidad en mi vida.

Keeping it simple since 1961

this is a video about using the appropriate word for the situation

In a society shaped by a century of marketing designed only to manipulate people into spending money when they don't have to, "premium" isn't just an illusion, it's an actively malicious act of propaganda. Most of what is sold as "premium" does not actually grant a person a superior experience, only the illusion they are buying an upgraded status in life.

In Chinese mediocrity can probably be translated to Zhongyong 中庸, a state most preferred by Confucianism

Ah , inspiring!

An Elite video on mediocrity, also removing an Elite psychological scotoma.

Embrace mediocrity. It's what your mediocre corporate overlords want.

The copium is not mediocre in this one.

## Key takeaways - Just aspiring to be the better is enough, not everyone has to be the best. - Embracing mediocrity is a Privilege and not terrible place to be. - We shouldn’t consider mediocre or ordinary as failure or losers. And it is difficult in today’s social media world, which adds un-ending cycle of social comparison and causes unsatisfied, insecure and inadequate. ## Quotes > Use mediocrity as a tool to live within our means. Take the money, either invest it or even just save it. Now you lead a Premium Elite Superior life. ## Summary - Be the best version of yourself. - Don’t compare with others, instead find out which things you enjoy doing and what matters to you most. - Only try, Don’t be mediocre in your effort and hard work.And desire to learn and brave enough to try.

How about Premium gasoline?

"Thrive on thousands, survive with ease, But for a show, millions please."

As someone who was on track to become a print journalist and lawyer and had stalking, harassing, murdering, thieving, psychopath sociopaths gank and destroy my entire life and grinding me into as you say a mediocre existence, I am unable to settle for the mediocre existence I have been forced into.

This channel the best show for ever ..

what is meant by mediocrity jobs ,life?

Ok I'll accept my mediocrity but I need to work on embracing it. I'll throw out my genius master list.

"real courage to be ordinary"

This video came at the right time after my AI video… for a while I thought to myself how stupid I am now with all the AI advancement… this video just keep me grounded

Good point but the solution is very very romantic.

Can be used to console most of the times 😶

Some are born to mediocrity. Some strive for mediocrity. Some have mediocrity thrust upon them.

As a socialist, it just hurts seeing how the way we (re)define words impacts the world so much in a very real and tangible way with regards to inequality. And yes, this is especially apparent in the world of marketing and politics. Humans should seek values that strenghten collaboration and humanity, instead of relying on the notion that having more or be better than others is the way to go. Wanting to be better than others will only cause rampant competition which in turn will hurt all parties involved, given enough time. It baffles me that some people really think they will still come out better in the end. Statistically speaking we are áll better off if people in the past chose to better the whole instead of parts of it. This holds even for those who think this does not apply to. We all have the responsibility to choose this path for anyone who comes after us, regardless of colour or other circumstances, for it could just as well have been us.

Just remember: a premium originally meant being able to ask a higher price for the same thing.😂

Way ahead of you there, buddy…

Nice, being mediocre is the only thing I'm great at :D

Loved this talk :)

I've no problem being just an ordinary gal. 😅😅😅

I've embraced mediocrity but everybody but my sisters and a couple friends has rejected me because of it

"Everything has Elite applied to it" - Remember when Toothpaste had "HD", or even "3D" to show how cool it was/is? What does 3D toothpaste imply? My teeth will be made fat?

someone put this guy next to David Goggins and make them have a 30min talk, please

You forgot about Premium Saltine Crackers made by NABISCO on the USA.

👏👏👏

You can paint an outhouse but it is still an outhouse.

❤❤❤

🙌

Everyone can be above average? Math really is difficult! Think of winning a 3 week bike race by 2 seconds. What?

I on occasion embrace mediocrity when buying something MADE IN USA.

I think we should go back when we were sailing age of sails or wooden sailing with sails, rigging and made of wood and only thing as for the ships was some winds and manpower and went about 10 to 14knts and didn't have sonar or motors and use dangerous fuel and oil and I'm not too including the stupid whalers but you research some of the old sea captains writing or maybe have a old sailor in someone's family heritage told of stories about the whales and dolphins would swim with these ships and some of the old fishermen would tell how whales and dolphins including orcas would help them with their catches and then the sailors would return them some goodies for the help I recently talked to a old whaler he said that he did regret hunting the live whales and dolphins but his ship crew knew how to break down a dead whales and made oil so the dead whales weren't being a Hazard to marine animals and the Risk of a deceased whale bloated it can be a ticking time bomb and rupturing smelly mess and what id not used is left for the marine animals to fest on or sink down the ocean flop and back during the time of sailing and sailors what is called now tall ships were less on environment and if a wooden ship did sink it was less harmful to the ocean because they were made of wood and the sailors uses natural things to keep the ship cleaned and they used natural things like pinetar for repairs and reasoned for whale oil was because it was more safer than using kerosene on wooden ships for lik3 lanterns and whales fat mixed with beer wax made a candle that burned slower and less hotter than a normal candle because some of these ships for protection had iron shots and iron cannons that used gunpowder and so to keep the ship from not blowing up or easy for a fire is hace stuff less of a hazard but also keep the ship and crew doing the job and I wish we could go back to the 15th through the 18th century sailing ships and combinations with maybe without war or the bad stuff but the good things like more chances to be able to sail and chivilary was a must

Try your best, accept your mediocrity.

I will try to embrace mediocrity in more ways, but I am NOT giving up on premium diapers! Millie Moon diapers do an ELLITE job at keeping everything inside the diaper, and I'm willing to pay extra for that. Thank you for this video!

All i know is that The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega are the true elite

Because it is my only option?

Gee, like this doesnt sound like the powers that be trying to make us dumber, nooo. Not at all.🙄

Goggins ain’t going to like this…

It’s a Chinese wisdom called”中庸之道”.

لطفاً زیرنویس های فارسی فعال کنید

"Embrace mediocrity" itself sounds rather elitist.

Grandiosity is not very healthy 🙄😖😎 Superiority complex = roots if Narcissism

Learn from the dead. Look at animal kingdom and you see a reflection of human instinct /behaviour.

I want to be no one

I am more mediocre than anyone, the M.O.A.T. sorry, had to. 😂

Capitalism demands "growth" ,it makes life harder. Satisfactory work should be embraced!

Lol, I wonder whether this man attained the heights he's at by being mediocre or 'just getting by' Of course, life is a personal race. You should always strive to outdo yourself, not other people.

Namechecking DeBotton, another yucky 'thinker' repackaging ancient wisdoms & hiding self-aggrandisement under a veneer of cleverness.

The problem is social politics, like at work. Some people are mediocre but for political reasons are rewarded. While I might recognize mediocrity, it seems some do not and they profit from it. I wonder if this giving up is like teaching people a reward in an afterlife that doesn't exist. It excuses reality in a sense.

You should aim for escaping mediocrity/being loser. Regardless of the outcome, if you have true intention to be excellence, your life will more improve than those who embrace being average.

definitely blame capitalism for this

Jesus can change your life ♥️✝️

First

Mediocre

*Andrew Tate enters chat.*

Even if not everyone can be the best, why must I be amongst the average people? Why would I embrace mediocrity? Being ordinary? No thanks. No ordinary person has ever gotten anything done.

So now we have losers giving TED talks on how to be like them

First impression is this guy is plenty comfortable with his 'mediocre' lifestyle, from the accent, anecdotes, pressed shirt & bulging waistline & the unspoken but inevitable education, career, car, house... & pension!! An academic western white male playing with words, in a cosy auditorium talking about exceptionalism is just hilariously deluded. Actually, obscenely so. This was made for the phrase . I can feel a little bit of bile rising. For most people, 'mediocre' - as HE experiences it - is an unachievable ambition requiring a time machine or a bank heist. Keep trying, TED. Surely there are people with real insights worth sharing?

Clicked on the video just to dislike

Everyone has two choices in life: You could live a very comfortable and stress free life as a mediocre person who nobody cares about or listens to. You will simply exist for a short period of time and then die while thinking about everything you could've achieved but didn't because you refused to push yourself. No one would care about you ten years after your death, you would be completely forgotten fifty years later Or You could live a very uncomfortable and stressful life where everyone values your opinion and respects your authority. You can acheive great things with your life, you could become an amazing bodybuilder, an extremely wealthy businessman, a well known entrepreneur, a famous actor, or just about anyone you want to be. You will lie in your deathbed thinking about all the great things you did with your life and the mark you've left on the world, possibly having inspired hundreds of millions or even billions of people. Your name would be remembered for centuries after your death and the companies you've founded, the books you've written, the legacy you've left behind will still be standing long after you're gone. Oneday, someone would read your story and make the choice to become great themselves. Choose wisely.

NEVER SETTLE DOWN WITH MEDIOCRITY

MEDIOCRITY IS YOUR ENEMY

THEY DON"T KNOW ME SON

NEVER EVER IN YOUR LIFE SETTLE DOWN WITH MEDIOCRITY

Sorry to disagree, we shouldn’t be scared to compete to the point of settling to “mediocrity” but on the other hand, aim for excellence but PRACTICE HUMILITY. May God be with us all. 🫶🏼

❤ @ eugistudio

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 interchange ze word Mediocrity with Humility 😏 & probably this is a contender for whatever Talk i$ Ch€ap Priz€ 🤪 Ain't buying into any B$ advocating Mediocrity is a Virtue! Meritocracy com€$ Fir$t.....Alway$ 🤑

MEDIOCRITY IS YOUR ENEMY