Mediocrity is a powerful thing. It can be alluring, even comforting at times, but it also has the power to hold us back from truly living our lives to the fullest. When we settle into that space of "just good enough" without pushing ourselves to grow or live outside our comfort zone, mediocrity sets in and holds us captive.

Everything's fine

Have you ever had the time to review your life and see if everything is okay with you? If not, take a break from all the business around you. Get in touch with your mind and assess whether you are okay with the following things in your life:

• How much you are earning per month or year
• What you are doing for a living
• The relationships you have with your family, friends, and colleagues
• The material possessions that you have
• How good is your health condition
• Your emotional well-being
• Your sense of fulfillment

If you think you are okay with everything that we mentioned above, then you are good. However, there's something to be said with your sense of fulfillment. Even if everything is okay with your life, but you aren't getting a sense of satisfaction from what you are doing, and what you have, there must be something more that you can do with your life. You might not have unlocked your full potential yet.

Nothing is wrong with settling in with your current situation and expressing gratitude for what you have. However, sometimes that lingering thought makes you question whether this is already what life has to offer. If you ever find yourself asking something like this, you must have fallen into a state of mediocrity. If somebody says you are mediocre and you find it kind of insulting, then that's a sign that you can break free from your current situation and achieve tremendous success in your life. There are some things you can do to attain even more amazing things in your life.

1. Break away from the status quo

Societal expectations can put a lot of weight in our minds regarding what we can do. As kids, we already have expectations from our parents, which eventually extends to our circle of friends. When we go to school, more expectations come from being good at many subjects and extracurricular activities. This process continues in the workplace, where our boss and coworkers expect us to do something. And that's not even counting the media, people, and institutions around us that can influence our actions and way of thinking. When all these expectations happen, most people will conform to what everybody else is doing. Mediocrity can then set in our minds.

It's challenging to break away from everybody else's train of thought for fear of being ostracized. People will tell you what to do and what you must possess. It takes courage to do something that you want while maintaining your association with everybody else. However, you can break free from mediocrity by working on your strengths and using them to propel you to something greater than what you are currently doing. Learn to think for yourself while still respecting other people's ideas and opinions. Think of reality like this: we are all moving forward in the sea called "life." However, you can decide whether to ride with everybody else on a gigantic cruise ship, or you can head in the same direction with everybody else on your private yacht.

2. Look at your social network

There is that saying, "Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are." Part of the reason you might be settling for mediocrity is because of the people you hang around with in your life. Other people can influence your actions and stance towards life. If you are friends with people who don't have much ambition or drive in life, chances are you will adopt the same way of thinking as them. The same thing happens when you are around conformists. The worst example of a social network has many people that drain your energy by constantly spouting rants, negativity, and toxicity.

One thing that can put you out of mediocrity is by surrounding yourself with people that can inspire you and those that are successful and achieve some form of greatness in their lives. You can get an idea of how they do things in their life and can ask for some advice and support. The positive mindset of such people can also affect your perspective in life. Also, keep those friends that support you during difficult times and are happy with your success. These are the kinds of people you would want to mingle with within your social circle.

3. Change your scenery

A good reason you might have settled for mediocrity is the monotony of everyday tasks that you must do. Wake up in the morning, eat, commute to work, sit in front of a computer, lunch, sit again in front of the computer, commute back home, do some hobbies, and then sleep. Repeat for the next four or five days. Going through a cycle like this every day puts a hamper on what else we can do. Even having the time to think about something else or read and see something different seems like a luxury.

It's hard to break away from such a routine if your job requires you to follow the same process every day. However, if you can choose to change your scenery, try your best to do it. For example, move your eyes away from a computer or phone screen during little breaks. Look at nature or the sky instead. Forget for a bit of while what you are doing and focus on your mind. Try to reorient your expectations into more positive ones. Ask yourself what more can you possibly do. And don't limit yourself with thoughts only. If you can, take the first step of action to bring about a change in your life. It's these little thoughts and actions that can eventually create a different course in your life.

4. Overcome fear

We could have done many things in life if only we had learned how to overcome fear. It's not an easy task to accomplish. We are afraid to take the next big step because we might fail. Some of us are afraid to make risky decisions because a significant loss of money will occur if we fail. Try to think for a bit how much you could gain if you become successful in your endeavor. Think of failure as a learning experience and that you can try again even if it happens. You won't know success and stay mediocre if you don't try something new in the first place.

Learn to break free from mediocrity

As a person, it's easy to get into a state of complacency. Don't change what works, right? However, we might miss exciting and positive opportunities. We could have built a successful business or met some successful people along the way if we had thought differently. Expectations shape how we see the world and the actions that we take. Not having enough money to make decisions is not an excuse as some people still end up being mediocre even with lots of money on their hands.

Listen to your mind and see if you are content with putting up with your everyday happenings. Be honest with yourself if things are enough for you. If you honestly think you want to do more, it's time to break away from your state of mediocrity. Great things are waiting for you if you spend more time planning and taking action to get what you want out of life. It's only a matter of changing your mindset about things.