2970: Mediocrity is an Integrity Problem by Cylon George on How to Live Authentically

[00:00:00] Kundenservice kontaktieren? Für viele Menschen ist das der beste Weg, einen schönen Tag zu ruinieren. Aber bei Zendesk sorgen wir für eine bessere Customer Experience. Besser für die Großmutter, besser für die Floristin, besser für den jungen Mann in Hausnummer 3a, besser für sie, besser für alle. Denn während einige behaupten, dass der Kunde immer Recht hat, sagen wir, dass KundInnen immer Menschen sind. Und da wir auch Menschen sind, wollen wir etwas Gutes für uns alle tun. Zendesk. Customer Experience mit KI für Menschen gemacht.

[00:00:30] Brauchen wir wirklich noch einen Computer? Alle wahrscheinlich nicht. Aber wenn du Musik mit der Power eines Neuralprozessors neu erfindest oder unterwegs Migrationsmuster mit einem ganztägigen Akku analysierst oder deine Ideen mit dem KI-gesteuerten Co-Creator zum Leben erwächst, dann kann ein Co-Pilot-Plus-PC einen Unterschied machen. Nicht alle brauchen einen leistungsstärkeren KI-Computer. Aber wenn du versuchst, die Welt zu verändern, auch wenn es nur deine eigene ist, haben wir einen für dich entwickelt. Microsoft Co-Pilot-Plus-PC mit Snapdragon. Die bisher schnellsten und intelligentesten Windows-PCs. Die Akkulaufzeit variiert hier nach Nutzung und Einstellungen.

[00:01:00] This is Optimal Finance Daily. Mediocrity is an Integrity Problem. By Ceylon George of SpiritualLivingForBusyPeople.com.

[00:01:10] And I'm your host and personal finance enthusiast, Diana Merriam.

[00:01:15] Welcome back to a bonus Sunday episode.

[00:01:18] I do this once a week so we can hear a little more content to optimize our lives.

[00:01:23] An extra episode from one of our other shows where we read articles to you.

[00:01:27] Today, I'm sharing one from Optimal Living Daily.

[00:01:31] If you enjoy it, you can follow or subscribe in your favorite podcast app for daily episodes.

[00:01:37] So with that, here's Justin from Optimal Living Daily as we optimize your life.

[00:01:47] Mediocrity is an Integrity Problem.

[00:01:50] By Ceylon George of SpiritualLivingForBusyPeople.com.

[00:01:54] Do you feel like your life is mediocre?

[00:01:57] Maybe you're a bit confused about why you feel that way.

[00:02:00] You've got the six-figure job, two and a half model kids, a 3,500 square foot house with a two-car garage,

[00:02:08] a summer home, great school district, exotic vacations, social acceptance, and esteem.

[00:02:14] On paper, you have everything society told you would make you feel whole.

[00:02:18] You're doing better than 90% of people on the entire planet, but somehow you still feel like a loser.

[00:02:24] So you buy a bigger house, trade in the cars for more luxurious ones,

[00:02:29] upgrade to the latest computers and smartphones,

[00:02:31] work longer hours to gain a competitive edge for that promotion.

[00:02:34] But you soon realize that having more doesn't make you feel better about yourself.

[00:02:39] You feel completely lost because you don't even like the job you fought so hard for,

[00:02:43] and the fancy cars are draining your bank account.

[00:02:46] A winner-takes-all world.

[00:02:48] Look, it's totally understandable why some people do all they can to not be average.

[00:02:53] Average is where mediocrity lives, and who wants to be mediocre?

[00:02:57] Besides, there are many advantages afforded to those who can make it into the elite class of people in our society.

[00:03:03] We may say things like,

[00:03:04] What matters is that you be the best you can be.

[00:03:07] But in our more honest moments, what we really want is to be the best.

[00:03:11] We idealize the former, but human nature being what it is, we crave the latter.

[00:03:17] In a winner-takes-all world, being second best just doesn't cut it anymore.

[00:03:21] The average person knows who Usain Bolt is, but probably cannot identify another track-and-field sprinter by name.

[00:03:27] In the minds of many, and lead performer like Bolt isn't just number one, he's the only one.

[00:03:33] And all it takes to reap outsized rewards is to be just a little bit better than the rest of the competition.

[00:03:38] James Clear defines the winner-takes-all phenomenon as,

[00:03:48] It's what he refers to as the 1% rule.

[00:03:50] Perform 1% better than the competition, and you get all the glory, even immortality.

[00:03:56] It's why some athletes are willing to risk it all by cheating.

[00:03:59] It's why some businesses cut corners to increase profit margins.

[00:04:03] It's why some co-workers sabotage one another rather than work together.

[00:04:06] The risk versus reward is almost irresistible.

[00:04:11] So if you're feeling pressured to live in the right neighborhood, send your kids to the right schools, or compete ruthlessly,

[00:04:17] you understand the power of the 1% rule.

[00:04:19] The question is, are you willing to compromise your own integrity to gain the advantage?

[00:04:26] Complexity and prestige.

[00:04:28] There's no better way to size a person up than to find out what they do for a living.

[00:04:33] I'm a hospice chaplain.

[00:04:34] I spend my time with the dying and their families.

[00:04:37] I'm not a neuroscientist, doctor, or engineer.

[00:04:41] People with prestigious or interesting careers can easily garner and hold the attention of strangers at a cocktail party.

[00:04:47] Hospice chaplains?

[00:04:48] Not so much.

[00:04:49] The response I often get goes something like,

[00:04:51] Oh, or, that must be depressing.

[00:04:55] The conversation usually fizzles out at that point.

[00:04:57] I love being a hospice chaplain.

[00:04:59] I feel very confident in my abilities to do my job well,

[00:05:02] and it brings me a high degree of fulfillment, even joy.

[00:05:05] But every now and again, after an awkward exchange with a person who has more social prestige,

[00:05:10] I wonder to myself,

[00:05:11] why couldn't I have been a chemical engineer or computer scientist as I'd initially planned?

[00:05:16] Compared to the complexity of the work of a doctor or engineer,

[00:05:20] a hospice chaplain's work seems laughably simple.

[00:05:23] Sometimes I wonder,

[00:05:25] did I end up not doing prestigious work because I'm average or mediocre?

[00:05:29] No.

[00:05:30] There's not much money or prestige that comes with a position of hospice chaplain,

[00:05:34] but so far it's the work that aligns most with who I am as a person.

[00:05:38] It's allowed me to live with greater integrity.

[00:05:41] The integrity problem.

[00:05:43] Think about it.

[00:05:44] When you're not living in integrity,

[00:05:46] when you're doing the right things for the wrong reasons,

[00:05:49] do you succeed?

[00:05:50] Are you at your very best?

[00:05:52] Are you the best?

[00:05:54] Maybe for a while,

[00:05:55] but sooner or later,

[00:05:56] the integrity problem will catch up with you.

[00:05:58] You'll find yourself asking things like,

[00:06:00] who am I?

[00:06:01] Or what's it all for?

[00:06:02] You won't perform at your best.

[00:06:05] You'll be miserable.

[00:06:06] You'll be mediocre.

[00:06:08] Have the courage to live with integrity.

[00:06:11] Here's the point.

[00:06:12] If you're resisting making a move because you're afraid of being seen as mediocre,

[00:06:16] consider that staying where you are is costing you much more than your ego is letting on.

[00:06:21] Quit the miserable job.

[00:06:23] Downsize the house.

[00:06:24] Sell the car.

[00:06:25] Do what your heart has always desired,

[00:06:27] even if your mind says,

[00:06:28] but what would they think of me?

[00:06:30] Because mediocrity is nothing more than an integrity problem.

[00:06:34] If you live with integrity,

[00:06:35] you'll never have to worry about being mediocre.

[00:06:42] You just listened to the post titled,

[00:06:44] Mediocrity is an Integrity Problem,

[00:06:47] by Ceylon George of spirituallivingforbusypeople.com.

[00:06:51] Thank you to Ceylon George.

[00:06:52] Come by spirituallivingforbusypeople.com for more from him.

[00:06:55] He has a unique story and writes across a wide variety of subjects.

[00:06:59] He's featured across a bunch of our podcasts with always interesting posts.

[00:07:03] It's true we're often sized up by that typical cocktail party question,

[00:07:08] what do you do?

[00:07:09] I don't like that question personally.

[00:07:11] I know in most cases people are just making conversation and they don't know what else to ask.

[00:07:16] And maybe they think they'll find something in common with you if they do ask.

[00:07:22] Usually we can find something in common between something else like entertainment or

[00:07:26] shows or movies or hobbies like games or music, stuff like that.

[00:07:32] Just thinking about it, I have friends from all sorts of jobs like retail planner,

[00:07:36] college professor, marketing and software engineers, EMT, warehouse manager.

[00:07:42] We all have different jobs yet we're friends and we pretty much never talk about work

[00:07:46] actually anyway.

[00:07:48] So personally, I like to do what the minimalists say.

[00:07:50] And instead of asking, what do you do?

[00:07:53] Ask, what do you do for fun?

[00:07:55] Or if someone asks me what I do, I'll start naming a bunch of things, including hobbies,

[00:07:59] because that's what I do.

[00:08:01] Lots of stuff.

[00:08:02] But anyway, that was a bit of a tangent.

[00:08:03] I'll leave it at that for today.

[00:08:04] Hope you have a great rest of your day.

[00:08:06] Thank you for being here and listening to me and for subscribing to the show.

[00:08:09] And I'll be back tomorrow for the 1st of May, where your optimal life awaits.

[00:08:14] And I'll be back tomorrow for the 2nd of May.

[00:08:14] Go immediately.

[00:08:15] Go ahead.

[00:08:15] Thank you.