Average

11 Ways to be Unremarkably Average

1. Accept what people tell you at face value.
2. Don’t question authority.
3. Go to college because you’re supposed to, not because you want to learn something.
4. Go overseas once or twice in your life, to somewhere safe like England.
5. Don’t try to learn another language; everyone else will eventually learn English.
6. Think about starting your own business, but never do it.
7. Think about writing a book, but never do it.
8. Get the largest mortgage you qualify for and spend 30 years paying for it.
9. Sit at a desk 40 hours a week for an average of 10 hours of productive work.
10. Don’t stand out or draw attention to yourself.
11. Jump through hoops. Check off boxes.

I came across this last week, courtesy of Amber, via this site. Interesting post; there's a lengthier version here if you'd like to read the expanded post. Thought it was pretty good (though I can't say I've read a lot of the other content on the site). I read through the first time and laughed at how true it is before I started realizing that several of the points are quite self-applicable. 9 times out of 10 (maybe even 9.5 times out of 10) I like to blend in. I like to avoid the spotlight and divert attention. I like to record my thoughts in writing way more than speak them in public. I'm ok with being average. Sometimes I simply desire to be part of the crowd.

So I've been thinking about that this week. And I know that odds are good there's a reason I'm not like everyone else. And there's a reason we aren't all like each other. And that the world needs people who desire to live simple, yet extraordinary, lives in order to avoid the mundane existence of the average. And I gotta say, life is way more exciting and adventurous and fulfilling when we're willing to live a little outside the box.