Russ Roberts and Paul Romer discuss similar ideas here.
I am an average (maybe below average) researcher, graduate student, whatever I am. Probability wise, this is all I should expect. This is okay.
I have delusions that I can be better than average. I have delusions that I could be better than average in other occupations like coaching and managing grocery stores. But these are delusions. I should expect and be thankful for being average.
Accepting that one is likely to be average is an important step into becoming better than average. It allows one to forget about other people's definitions of success. It allows one to forget about being better than average.
It allows one to concentrate on being himself.
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2 comments:
i think an important key is to try to really define the things in your life that you(not you specifically) want to be good at - meaning everything - without taking any aspects for granted. researcher, grad student, economist, son, brother, cousin, citizen, employee, neighbor, church member, friend, boyfriend, individual. I know that when you are writing in your post you are strictly refering to the professional aspect of life.
But we all spend so much time trying to mimic others or learn from others - profesionally - and I would be willing to bet my bottom dollar that if we were to truly get a close look at what they are like, we might not like what we see. sure they might be at the top of the profession, but they might have no family, never married or divorced twice, estranged from parents, estranged children, an asshole, have a lot of money and nothing meaningful to spend it on. some professional athletes are also good examples.
if you can identify that you are not as good as a peer at one thing, chances are you are better than them at something else. forget all the competition. if you just focus on your job, on doing best what it is that you as an individual do, no one can ever fault you for that, and if they think they can, i think you know what category their put into and how much to value their opinion. an example within your profession is that just b/c someone might have a slighlty better grasp on some theory concept, doesn't mean there might be some people out there who might prefer the waythat you present it. it takes all the stress off of focusing on that one aspect. somewhat of the good old - i'll get it next time philosophy. I like to use this quote which is a combination fo 2 bill monroe songs. "I'm pressing on, and I'm doing the best I can." I actually tell myself that. good way to put things behind me. b/c no matter what any of us mess up today, one thing we can't avoid is that the sun will rise tommorrow and we'll have another opportunity to get it right.
GGM
I think you are right. There is this balance that one must keep.
The Bill Monroe quotes are right. It is like my grandfather used to say "Never back up when you can go forward." Paul does a nice job in Romans 12 also.
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