What does the term “Mediocrity is for Suckers” mean? I’ll begin with the noun mediocrity, which means the quality of being average or ordinary. Naturally, we cannot be great at everything. But what about when it comes to you? In other words, is it plausible to want to be great at being you? Of course, it is. Let’s be realistic though. We can all strive to be at our best, but we will most certainly fall short at times. That’s okay, as long as we choose to learn, grow, and evolve from those lessons.
Contrastingly, unnecessary problems can arise when we choose the path of least resistance. For instance, self-reflection is very difficult because it requires us to identify certain negative aspects of our life. Let’s be honest, it’s much easier to ignore or sweep them under the rug. This leads to problems that would have otherwise been avoided had we chosen the path of most resistance, which is to proactively address areas in our lives we know we can improve at. This is very easy to talk about but extremely difficult to do. I know this because I used to regularly partake in this mindset all too often. In short, I viewed this average or mediocre mindset with simplicity and dubbed it as being a sucker. Hence the term, Mediocrity is for Suckers (MIFS).
As a retired law enforcement officer I experienced many highs and lows throughout my life and career. In fact, I wrote about some of them in my soon-to-be-released book titled, Mediocrity is for Suckers; Leadership Lessons, Personal Growth, & Doing The Work To Maximize Your Potential. Below is an excerpt to give you an idea of how MIFS first revealed its head.
“Throughout my career, I’ve experienced highs and lows but overall I view my time in law enforcement as extraordinarily successful, especially when you consider what it took to get there. Though I have held many positions within my organization, there is one that stands out—my assignment with the Major Crimes Bureau (MCB). MCB was a fugitive apprehension team. The mission of the unit was to locate and apprehend high profile violent criminals. Many of the individuals we sought were murderers.
For example, on July 4, 2012, a three-year-old child was killed during a drive-by shooting. MCB was activated and tasked with locating those suspected of being involved in the crime. Our MCB team was known for completing similar missions within days. But this particular investigation took weeks, and at one point we stalled, having no apparent leads to go on. We knew who the perpetrators were but we simply couldn’t find them. The team discussed how we were only as good as our last caper, so we knew we could do much better. It was then when I first muttered the term, “Mediocrity is for suckers and we’re better than that.”
That statement must have resonated with the team because right then and there we reconfigured our game plan by applying immense pressure on the suspected perpetrators’ friends, family members, and associates, which ultimately led to the suspects turning themselves in within a day.
As time went on, the slogan Mediocrity is for Suckers began to permeate with some employees within my agency, and from time to time I would hear someone say it almost as a rallying cry. This became the genesis of this book’s title.”
It was about that time in my life when I began to look at myself through a critical lens. I realized I needed to take heart to my own slogan. Not just with locating homicidal maniacs, but with my personal life. This meant peeling back some ugly layers related to my worldly views and choosing to engage in activities that could help me rise above living an average or ordinary life. Why? Because as a self-proclaimed knuckle dragger, I did not want to be a sucker by living a mediocre life. Again, it’s a simplistic approach to self-improvement but it works for me. And who knows, it may just work for you too.
In summary, the term Mediocrity is for Suckers is a reminder for me to strive to be a better person. Maybe perhaps be someone who lives an extraordinary life, rather than an ordinary one. What that looks like for you is literally up to you. So now that you know what the slogan means, don’t be a sucker. Tighten up your figurative chin strap to your helmet and march down the remarkable road of exploiting your own potential.
#M.I.F.S.