Are you happy being average?

Being in school was the last time I was happy being average. I wasn’t bad enough to be made an example, or good enough to parade in front of people. I was comfortable fitting in with everyone else.

The Changing Concept of Average

As you grow up, being “average” is a different concept. The spectrum of good and bad widens. On one end, there’s extreme poverty. On the other hand, some people never need to worry about money. Then you have people in the middle who become slaves to one another:

• They don’t say what they feel (fear of being outcast).
• Work towards goals only to impress other people.
• They are given the illusion of being in control of their lives (when other people are pulling the strings).

This is common. And if you carry these behaviors into your mid-20s, that’s how you remain. Your brain’s ability to learn (brain plasticity) continues until then, before slowing. Everything before that constructs your belief systems and what you consider to be possible.

Naivety and the Illusion of Control

On paper, this should be fine (at 25):

• You’re naive in thinking the world is filled with good people.
• Who has your best interests at heart.
• And that following everyone else is the only (and best) option.

Those beliefs act as a Trojan horse for:

• Being punished for critical thinking.
• Working towards goals that aren’t yours.
• Becoming reliant on other people to structure your life.
  

Keys to Happiness and Fulfillment

Whereas the keys to happiness and fulfillment come from doing the opposite of these. We thrive in creating solutions for our unique problems; we want to have complete ownership of our schedule and work towards the goals that we have set for ourselves.

The Challenge of Reinvention

The later you leave it to reinvent your life to suit these standards, the harder it is because the beliefs you have constructed in your mind have influenced your actions in the real world:

• You have worked up the corporate ladder (without broadening your skillset).
• You’ve taken out a mortgage (becoming reliant on the above).
• And you have started a family.

The Influence of the Internet

And it’s my understanding that this is why we’re seeing a wave of successful young people because their belief systems haven’t derived from government education, but from the internet.

The Sheep Mentality

Is this a good thing? Yes and no. If anything, it’s highlighted the problems of the sheep mentality. You spend your time supporting others’ dreams while neglecting yours without questioning it, because “everyone else does it.” The foundations of people’s lives are built on this notion:

• Feeding your kids processed rubbish because other parents do.
• Buying designer brands so people think you’re of a higher status.
• Supporting one side of a war that you have no idea about to let everyone know you think like them.
  
  

The Power of Micro Changes

They seem like menial things, but the beginnings of doing something out of the ordinary are built up by making changes on the micro level – that eventually shifts how you perceive the macro. And that’s the key – if you don’t want to live like everybody else, you must be willing to do things that nobody else does.

Embracing Unconventional Choices

And that isn’t too hard. Most people can’t run a kilometer. Most people don’t care what they eat. I believe even if we implemented universal income, people still would choose fast food and sit on the couch because it’s easy. I’ve found that’s what separates people who would be considered “average” from those who do “above average” things.

The Importance of Healthy Habits

How do you expect to function properly when:

• You’re addicted to your phone.
• You don’t move your body.
• You don’t eat real food.

I’m not saying I’m perfect; I have bordered around these before. But I choose to be free of them every time.

Taking Action Towards Personal Goals

And once you’ve decided to work towards the goals of:

• Creating solutions for your (own) problems.
• Gaining control of your schedule.
• And accomplishing something you want to do (no one else).

Taking action is the next step that hardly ever gets taken. Because where do you start? Up until this point, you’ve been told what to do and how to think.

Building Something New

And I found the best way is to start by building something. And it doesn’t have to be the next multi-billion-dollar corporation or even something that makes you money but something that you can flood with your focus and attention. It’s the only opportunity you have to re-wire your brain:

• Learn to generate ideas.
• Learn to problem-solve for yourself.
• Learn how to keep going when things get hard.

That’s what I’ve been doing; I am building a fundraiser for abandoned animals as my first project.

Sharing Knowledge and Community

That’s also why I started my blog. I knew I wanted to build something on the internet, and I see a lot of people wanting to as well, so I want to teach you what I learn. I have also started a free community on X to help people build their creations, so check that out if you want to.

Talk soon.
Ryan.