Podcast 63: The Cost of Having Average Thoughts and Average Actions
The cost of doing things like you have always done them is what you are about to miss out on in your own future. For many people, that cost is acceptable. They do not even think about it. But for those of us who want more from life, it is a cost that is far too high to pay.
The Hidden Cost of Playing It Safe
Imagine having to go to work for the rest of your life until you are 65 or beyond. For some, that is an easy life with little perceived risk. But when you actually think about it, even that supposedly safe path comes with enormous risks. The risk of losing your job. The risk of losing your pension. The risk of losing your health. The risk of getting ill and not being able to work. And finally, when it comes time to retire, the risk of not actually being able to afford to do so.
The irony is that the people who think they are playing it safe by staying in employment and not taking any chances are actually taking one of the biggest gambles of all. They are betting their entire future on the hope that nothing goes wrong for forty years. That is not safe. That is terrifying when you really think about it.
Why Average Thinking Leads to Average Results
For others, and I include myself in this group, and by the fact you are reading this I suspect you are in this group too, the average path simply is not good enough. We want more out of life. We do not want to spend our best years working for someone else’s dream while ours sits on the shelf gathering dust.
But here is where it gets interesting. Wanting more is not enough. Everybody wants more. The difference between the people who get more and the people who just talk about getting more comes down to their thinking and their actions. If you have average thoughts, you will take average actions, and you will get average results. That is just how it works.
Average thinking sounds like this: “I will start my business when the time is right.” “I am not ready yet.” “What if it does not work?” “I will do it next year.” These are all average thoughts, and they lead to average outcomes. The time is never right. You are never fully ready. It might not work. But doing nothing guarantees that nothing changes.
Upgrading Your Thinking
In this podcast episode, I dig deep into what it actually means to upgrade your thinking and your actions. It is not about being reckless or irresponsible. It is about being honest with yourself about whether the life you are currently living is the life you actually want. And if it is not, having the courage to do something about it.
The people I work with who get the best results are the ones who made a decision to stop thinking average thoughts. They decided that they were going to build something meaningful, and they backed that decision up with consistent action. Not perfect action. Not action that always worked. Just consistent effort in the right direction.
If you are sitting there knowing deep down that you are capable of more, then this episode is for you. Stop settling for average. Your future self will thank you for the decision you make today to think bigger and act bolder.
