Pushing Past Average

If you looked up average boy in a dictionary you will find a description of me as a child and young adult.  I was average across the board.  Average grades, average athleticism, average size, and average abilities.  There was nothing that I couldn't demonstrate average ability in.  One thing that we all know very well is that average is boring.

So it is easy to imagine that I would grow up to live an average life.  Before we get into that though let me detail a bit about how average became such a big part of my life.

Early on in school I started to realized that I had a pretty good grasp on how to get passing grades with minimal effort.  The flaw in the school systems is that it teaches to the right answers and so therefore one only has to only make sure they have 75% or greater right answers more often than not.  So I unknowingly hacked the system as it was structured to help me out in this.  I did not want to endure the pain of homework and so I realized that the majority of what was on the test I can determine by just listening to the teacher in class the week of the test.  More often than not this worked out phenomenally.  Those teachers that went over what was on the test were speaking my language loud and clear.  This hasn't changed much and that is why I continue to see average students coming out of schools.

Another area of my life that a demonstrated an uncanny ability to be average was in sports.  I was never the worst because I had average abilities, but I was also never the best either.  The reason being, I did not want to practice.  It either had to come natural with minimum training, or I did not want to participate.  That is why I played one season of high school football, one season of HS tennis, one season of HS track, one half a season of college rugby.  I also tried out for HS baseball but when I was told I was cut but that I could practice back onto the team, I said no thanks.

Looking back on my life it is no wonder to me that I have gone on for so long not doing anything above average.  This average ability transitioned from high school to college, to my career, and I hate to say, even to my family.  

This has been something that has been eating at me my whole life.  I think back to the times where people would give me hints about what more I could do.  My high school guidance counselor who suggested accelerated physics to me.  My high school English teacher that gave me my first F on a report card but told me she knows I am capable of so much more.  My piano teacher in college that recommended I take piano two because I showed some proficiency there.  I am sure there are many others that I am forgetting.

Why is it that I was so willing to accept an average life?

The answer in this comes back into the structures that have been put into place in society.  The fact that schools teach to the average and always want to group people into averages.  The way our culture shuns those that think differently or do things their own way.  The way we are not supposed to make any waves.  To be compliant and not break any structures that have been put into place at the beginning of the industrial revolution.  The way the workforce is designed to have a hierarchy to watch over the average and push the above average up to a place where they become average and the below average out.

These systems are breaking down but I do not think we are all prepared.  Instead of waiting for the system to break down I decided it was time to take accountability for my own actions and to push to do something great.  I have regimented a system into my own life that will help me push beyond average.  To do things different.  To expend the effort to do better than average.

As we continue to prepare for our journey I am working on my creativity and perseverance.  Instead of watching more shows that contribute little to my life, I am dedicating time to ventures in writing, music, programming, health, and commitment.

As we enter the new year I am not looking for resolutions.  I am looking to pick up the pieces of the unfulfilled potential and push past average.  We all have greater than average abilities within us.  Why not tap into them?  Is there an area in your life that you could spend a little more time to push past average?  Who knows, maybe we will start a new revolution.