One day my 27-year-old son called me and very excitedly shouted into the phone, “Mommy, (yes, he calls me Mommy) guess what? I like broccoli!” Now you would have to know KeyAndre’ to understand the significance of what I am saying. When he was a young boy, I had that hardest time trying to convince him to eat vegetables. I tried bribing him and telling him about the vitamins and minerals that he needed to help him grow up to be big and strong. My last attempt was holding him hostage at the dinner table, while trying to convince him to eat one kernel of corn before he could eat his favorite ice cream. Yes, I was desperate! Now he had the nerve to inform me that after all my years of begging, pleading, and threatening, he had now acquired a taste for that which he once hated.
As my mind took me back to this experience with my son and broccoli, I remembered an experience of my own. My challenge was the green olive. I thought it was the coolest thing to see a green olive balancing itself on the end of a toothpick between cheese cubes, so I thought I would buy a jar. There was only one problem; the green olive was one of the most disgusting things that I had ever tasted. I realized that looks really can be deceiving. However, I was not going to be intimidated by something so tiny.
I kept trying. I took tiny bites so my palate would not go into shock. In the beginning, I would chew very fast so that I would not have to taste it. That didn’t work out too well. There is no way to put an olive into your mouth and not taste it. After a while, I thought I would chew slower and try to savor it. So, there I was, eyes closed, picturing myself enjoying the tiny green organism. Then one day, I noticed it didn't taste so bad. To my surprise, I discovered I was enjoying them. I have been buying them ever since. I have no problem eating them straight out of the jar. I absolutely love them!
My palatable experience taught me that you can acquire a taste for almost anything. What bitter thing in your life has become satisfying because you have been there so long it has become a sweet savor? Has it become a place of normalcy in your life? Have you acquired a taste for mediocrity and complacency? Have you settled for a place of ordinary, when there is an extraordinary woman inside waiting to be released?
This can happen without you even knowing it. You see, accepting mediocrity happens slowly and it can hinder success in your relationships, careers or goals that you want to obtain.
You may ask, "How do I determine if I have settled for mediocrity in my life?" Ask yourself these questions: 1) Do I feel physically, mentally, and emotionally well? 2) Am I living my life without a sense of purpose ? 3) Do I compare myself to others? 4) Am I especially hard on myself when I make mistakes? 5) Am I honestly enjoying my life? 6) As I care for others, do I forget to nurture myself? Answering ‘yes’ to any of these questions should activate an alarm.
To be clear, mediocrity has nothing to do with job titles, degrees, or zip codes. It has everything to do with being passive, ordinary, and settling for less than you deserve. Whether you are the CEO in the boardroom or you clean the boardroom, conduct your duties with fervor and might. Allow the awesome person that you are to be manifested in what you do. The opposite of mediocrity is excellence. Excellence comes from within. Who you are takes precedence over what you do. You are an amazing creation. You were created in excellence, by your Creator, and there is nothing ordinary about you.
You may have tasted bitterness along your journey, but if you are willing to keep learning and growing, your journey will become sweeter and sweeter.
Stay spicy!