Artwork by Taryn Kim
To anyone who needs to believe that the only possible way to achieve self-fulfilment is through ‘hustle’- I strongly believe society has failed you.
‘Hustle and grind’ culture is real and seeps into every aspect of our lives. This has resulted in a romanticisation and glamorization of working to the bone with no regard for human limits. And for what? Money-driven success and goals? Materialism largely comes into play here as well. Capitalism, corporations and commodification, three threateningly alliterated words are huge parts of our every action and decision. Huge corporations, governments and societal structures have everything to gain from our insecurities and burnouts. Scroll through any social media for 5 minutes and you will come across ample examples of this. Everyone else started from nothing and now owns multi-billion dollar industries. What did you do today? Whatever you did wasn’t enough.
This kind of mentality has hidden and toxic implications that can range in their effects. I can see how idolising a 50 hour work week can result in normalising crushing anyone and anything in your way, or another extreme, such as putting up with toxic behaviour for the sake of the ‘grind’.
We are constantly told that the billionaires and geniuses of our time were social outcasts who slept four hours and worked for twenty, who were able to reach unfathomable wealth and power because they stopped at nothing and for nobody. I don’t agree with this at all. How can one be a well-rounded and satisfied individual without taking time for themselves, their spiritual and mental growth or stimulation?
When I think of success, I think of money, and power, and names of people who invented apps and cryptocurrencies. But when I imagine success for myself, I think of a house big enough for myself and the people I love, I imagine having read every book I’ve ever wanted to read, I imagine finishing my education and then some. This should not be ‘average’ or ‘mediocre’, because it is not negativity or underachieving. There is so much great beauty in what we consider ordinary lives, because the people around us are more wildly successful than our vocabulary can explain. A teacher inspiring the next generation of youth is successful, a mother able to provide for her children is just successful, just getting up out of bed today means you have triumphed over the day.
I invite you to do the same, imagine the most self fulfilling life you can. I doubt most of us think of stocked bank accounts and thousand dollar cheques. We think of warm coffee and dappled sunshine and friends. And if you disagree, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, because you have been given the choice to decide what mediocrity and success means to you. Here I can clarify that a motivating and goal fueled mindset is an enviable and desirable one. And nothing substitutes hard work and determination, but this shouldn’t be at the cost of sacrificing the parts of your life that make you happy. Those goals should be self determined, thus making them even more satisfying when you do eventually achieve them.
In reality, the benchmark for success is something that should be completely individual, but instead is decided for us. Not everyone wants to be a millionaire in a mansion. At least I don’t, so why is aiming for anything less than that ‘settling for mediocrity?’
We are conditioned to believe that workaholism is the only way to success, and anything less that means you are a waste of time and space. This is a universal truth shared by so many, teenagers and adults alike, where the ever looming and omnipresent fear of not doing enough and being enough breathes down our backs.
I think there is much beauty in the ordinary, and sometimes, our thirst for productivity inhibits us from noticing these moments.
We want our lives to be defined by great moments, and we actively seek them out in harmful and destructive ways. There is no hurry. The greatest moments are usually the most ordinary, the ones you don’t realise will impact you until they are gone. Do not fear to be mediocre in the eyes of society, because the most mediocre people are usually the ones who have the courage and creativity to break the status quo.
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