we live in a world where everyone wants to be the best. we laud athletes that can swim the fastest. we put out magazines listing the richest people. we hold contests for the most beautiful woman.
but in reality, i think being average is on the whole probably better.
guys who are 6'10" want to be a little shorter and guys who are 5'5" want to be a little taller. girls with small breasts want bigger ones and girls with big breasts want smaller ones.
certainly when it comes to physical attributes, being in the top or bottom quartile presents its own sets of challenges.
i suspect this rule also holds true for everything else in your life. the richest people i know are often the most lonely. but being super poor seems like it's awful too. the smartest people i know are some of the most difficult to get along with, while the dumbest people have many of doors closed to them.
i don't think it's a good idea to strive for mediocrity, but i also realize it's lonely at the top. so when your kid comes home with a B or a second place in the swim meet, realize, they're probably net happier than the top people. and when you see the list of billionaires, if you're not on it, count yourself lucky.
and if there are any billionaires reading, please give me a billion so that you can be happy and i'll deal with the pain it brings.
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