Abraham Kang

I have average grades, and an average life. I’m average when it comes to intelligence, aptitudes,  motivation, self-confidence, energy, creativity, personality, good looks, morals, wealth, health and happiness.  The only thing I am not average in is contentment. I, for one, do not struggle to accept the fact that I may never live up to society’s over-hyped and unrealistic ideal image of success. I’ve come to accept that with the right choices, and time, that I too can make a difference in the world that seems overwhelming in favor of the exceptional. Personal experience has taught me that because I am average, I have had to put in a greater effort on the same task as compared to exceptional individuals, but the results were always, very gratifying.

 

I have average expectations about my life. Career satisfaction is far more important than career advancement. Average means I stay away from extremes and pre-set notions. Exceptional individuals have found a way that works best for them, and their minds tell them there is no other way. Average tells me that there is always a better way.

 

Average means I am constantly overachieving. Average means I never give up and in the words of a popular school in Singapore, average simply means “The Best Is Yet To Be”.  Average reduces the stress my superiors and I place on myself, liberating me to strive for higher heights. Average makes me notice me, because no one expects me to show any signs of brilliance. Average gives me more time to spend with friends, family and new hobbies, only exceptional people need to work all day, because average means a relatively-stress free attitude. Average gives me courage to embark on new frontiers, because average means I am allowed to fail without judgment.

 

I believe that it is sad to spend one’s entire life seeking excellence, whilst missing out on greater opportunities that would allow one to live one’s life to the maximum. Being average doesn't mean having average goals.

 

Being average is countercultural. Society has ingrained in us the expectations of the world, trying to push us towards greatness, but I believe this is self-defeating, telling ourselves we are always below-par, constrains us to minuscule, confined spaces where we tell ourselves we will never be good enough. Average tears down these walls.

 

Perhaps average is exceptional, but that is a conundrum for another day.