When I was younger, I wanted to grow up to be someone amazing. Someone who made a meaningful contribution to the world. I equated being an ‘average’ person to being a failure. This mindset led me down a path of perfectionism that was completely unsustainable.
With the increase of internet memes about gifted child syndrome and burnout, I’ve realised that I’m not alone in my struggle with the pressure to be extraordinary. This mindset is not limited to the classroom and the office. In fact, most aspects of life seem to encourage competition and comparison.
In this post, I defend being average and explain why we shouldn’t give in to the pressure to be impressive.
