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WORK-LIFE BALANCE
The pursuit of excellence is
drilled into us from a young age
– but Aytekin Tank explains why
excellence is actually a poor
standard for success
IN LITERATURE, in media and most
certainly in the workplace, mediocrity carries
a decidedly negative connotation. Nobody
wants to be merely mediocre.
Google 'mediocrity,' and you'll get results
such as "What to Do About Mediocrity
on Your Team" and "Mediocrity Is a
Virus – Here's How to Banish It From Your
Life." Article after article tells us that medi-
ocrity is a slippery slope to complete failure.
Excellence, on the other hand, has become
an aspirational gold standard. To strive for
excellence is to dodge mediocrity at all costs.
Every day, news outlets publish stories telling
us how to emulate the Steve Jobs, the Oprah
Winfreys and the Tom Bradys of the world.
Once we wake up before sunrise, choose
an outfit that reflects our personal brand,
and eliminate gluten, alcohol, and caffeine,
we can finally unleash the superhumans hid-
den inside. Even school-aged children are
encouraged to pursue excellence – as soon as
Excellence
is obsolete
