Garden Spices Magazine

Don’t Settle for Mediocrity

True success in life can only come by not settling for mediocrity. We should always strive to achieve and get the most out of life that we possibly can. It is only when we push ourselves and give it all we’ve got that we can then give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done. Success in life depends on self-discipline and not giving in at the first hurdle you come across or going into a project only halfheartedly. By pushing yourself that little bit further you will be surprised at what you are capable of achieving.  This is what separates the winners from the losers or the successful from the unsuccessful.

All people say that they want to succeed in life at whatever they do, but very few are willing to actually push themselves a little bit further in order to achieve their goals.  This is why some of us succeed in life and others fail. How well you succeed is all about how badly you want the success, what it means to you.  Are you willing to succeed a little or are you willing to go the extra mile to achieve a higher status and be outstanding?

When racing towards the goals we have set, we all start out with the best of intentions. We shoot out of the starting gate and run down the straight, but many of us fall back at the first hurdle.  We don’t push; we run out of steam when the going gets tough.  We don’t pause to catch our second breath, but come to a halt and give up or stumble on halfheartedly and cross the line in second or third place at the best.

Those who do have the winning streak in them, who know that with a little extra push and a pause to catch their breath and then a final sprint down the home straight and past the winning post a head in front of their competitors, are the ones that end up with the glory and true success in life.

Of course all who are successful don’t just rely on pushing themselves.  All winners have a strategy and are willing to be flexible on their way to success because life has a way of throwing many different spanners into works along the way. We have to be able to adapt to these unexpected happenings when they occur and not get bogged down. We have to take them in our stride, skip around them and continue the race.

Never settle for anything less than giving it your all

Here are some tips to help you remember never to settle for anything but your best no matter what the project is;

• It doesn’t matter how big or small the project, put your all into getting it completed.

• If you think you have given it your best shot, pause and ask yourself, “Could I improve?”

• Plan your project, but always be willing to make changes and work your way around the unexpected.

• It’s OK to pause but get back into the race and carry on until you pass the winning post.

Give yourself a mood boost

There are many little changes we can make in our lives that can give our mood a boost. This brightens up your day, brings a smile, and makes life a little bit easier to deal with. Just by making the smallest changes and taking as little as 5 minutes from your day could create that difference you are yearning for. It doesn’t have to be anything outlandish, just something you wouldn’t normally consider doing.

Here are some tips to help give you that quick mood boost and can be done whenever you are feeling out of sorts with the world or feeling a little down;

• Take out your daily goal and write something down that you have already completed today and cross it straight off the list.

• Look at yourself in the mirror and pull as many different funny faces as you can in 5 minutes.

• Read the comics in the daily paper.

• Take a quick shower or at least splash your face with water.

• Use some of that expensive perfume or deodorant you bought and enjoy the fragrance!

– Bikundo Onyari

Bikundo is a self taught social entrepreneur, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a Bridge2Success mentor and coach for upward mobile young professionals who are ambitious, smart, go-getters and high achievers who are keen to create a dynamic and inspiring life. Bikundo feels purposeful working with people to realize and nurture their abilities. Apart from Kenya, he has worked in a variety of locations including Rwanda, Uganda, the Netherlands, Morocco and Mexico. You can reach him on Twitter @BikundoOnyari.