Life has become demanding and unsettling over the years. Smartphones have changed the definition of staying in touch. Everyone is online 24 by 7. There is always an air of urgency in our needs and actions. We are surrounded by distractions that make us unfocused on our goals and visions. This in turn creates a ripple of pressure to deadlines. And the fact is, everyone in the world is not designed to work effectively under pressure. So, to be precise, in a global population of 7.9 Billion only 1% are highly successful but the good news is that 52% are rather happy.
Being Happy Vs Being Successful
Happiness and success, both are relative terms. We all have our own definition of being happy and becoming successful in life. For someone who strives on a daily wage, an unexpected income can be a source of happiness. While for others, a new smartphone could be the reason of their joy.
For a middle-class family, success could mean buying a new car rather than settling for a second-hand vehicle. Whereas, for an industrialist, success could be as simple or complex as closing the next big deal or a merger.
The point here is, nearly 98% of people are living an average life, but it doesn’t mean that they are not happy or successful. But the problem arises when we start putting conditions on our own life and force ourselves to achieve goals beyond our means in less time just because other people are doing better than us.
How Social Media Has Destroyed the Simple Image of an Average Life?
When we were kids, we had reel cameras for real-life memories. Today, we have digital cameras for Insta-reels. We get a sneak-peek into others life on our screens. Their perfect relationship, handsomely paying job/business, domestic and international travel diaries, romantic dinner dates, dance collab videos, chaddi-buddy get-togethers, everything they do, makes us jealous.
Our main motto in life has now shifted from focusing on our goals and visions to striving for a lifestyle these Instagrammers are living. There is no harm to wish and work towards a luxurious lifestyle. We all deserve it. But the question is ‘is that what YOU want?’ and ‘at what cost?’
Social media these days is playing a major role in shaping our present and future. No wonder, people are hooked to their screens and have little time to enjoy themselves with their family and friends. The advent of social platforms has destroyed the simple joys of simple people. Everyone is striving to be famous and rich in just no time.
Social platforms have also given birth to many life gurus. Every second person on the internet is spreading and sharing gyaan on living a successful life. They may not even be following the heavy-duty quotes themselves, but its ‘hashtag trending’. Why can’t people stop faking their online appearance and accept that the reality is what is off-line? The normal, usual and sometimes mundane life, sometimes boring, average but it’s their life. Acceptance brings awareness. Awareness brings stability. Stability leads to peace of mind. And that, I believe, is the ultimate goal of humankind.
Why Living an Average Life Is Worth a Shot?
There is a common notion that people who live a mediocre or average life are the ones who are happy staying where they are in life. They love their comfort zone. They don’t believe in working hard to change their situation. Such people are non-disciplined and lack a sense of responsibility. An average person does not have any dreams.
Think again! 1% of all successful people today once lived an average life. Wealth can be acquired by birth but fame is an individual choice, as is happiness. After all, the quality of life is not measured by mediocrity or success. It is eventually measured by the choices you make and the lives you touch in your short stay on Earth.
Let’s take another example, women/mom. These days we have a blend of stay-at-home women/moms, work-from-home women/mom and full-time working women/moms. Women/Mothers falling in all three categories are working hard to give a better life to their family and child(ren). Most of the women are living a perfectly average life. She enjoys the comfort of her home, the luxury of a national/international vacation, she prides on her small yet effective success stories. She has a routine life that she enjoys from waking up every morning to setting daily goals and achieving them and sometimes failing herself. She may not be an Ambani, Tata or Birla. But she is both happy and successful as per her definition of these words.
Like a lot of people out there, I too, live an ideally average life. But my life is not stagnant. I agree, there are boring days, mundane stuff I often times skip doing, the usual routine of daily chores that I can’t miss out on but I still find time for myself to learn new skills and enjoy new hobbies. And, I have dreams too. A few of which have come true and the others I will make come true at my own pace. So, living on the average size of the population hasn’t made me thoughtless, undisciplined or boring. I am not all over the social platforms but frequent on Instagram. I’ve been through the pressure of living a perfectly perfect life by getting motivated to becoming jealous of other’s lifestyle. Honestly, all the hustle I went through wasn’t worth it!
One thing that I realized out of this ‘want to live life like other people’ fiasco was that I have a life filled with opportunities too. I am surrounded by loving and caring friends and family, and I am not under constant pressure to prove myself. In spite of the regular ups and downs, I am able to maintain my sanity. What else could I ask for? O’ and I just came back last week from a 15 days vacation in Goa in covid times. Not to forget I am a person who lives on the average size of the population.
So, why living an average life in today's time is worth a shot?
You can happily afford some ‘me-time’ to relax, Netflix and chill.
If you are a reader, work upon creating a home-library. Make a comfortable corner at home, pick up your book and get lost.
Create new goals as soon as the previous goals expire. You don’t have to wait for a new year to make new resolutions.
You learn to value other peoples feelings. You understand there can be harmony even with a difference of opinions. It also helps you in taming your ego.
While fulfilling your responsibilities you get ample time to do extra activities. Join that yoga class you were looking forward to, learn a new language, find a new hobby. Do whatever you feel like at your own pace.
Everyone deserves a good life. Strive for luxurious life but don’t get your ass fucked to achieve things by shortcut.
Working on weekdays and travelling on weekends/holidays isn’t such a bad idea. At least, it is better than not travelling at all.
You may have been ambitious but gave up everything to start your family, raise your kids or take care of an ailing parent. Consider it as a hiccup in your life’s master plan. And now that your kids have grown up or other problems resolved, start fresh.
Never give up your dreams, however difficult the path may seem. Self-motivate for that one last try.
Enjoy quality fun-times with family. Read your kids bed-time stories that they will remember to tell their kids. Make memories for children grow up too fast.
Knowing that money isn’t evil or the root cause of all problems can help you make better investment plans. You spend and save wisely because it is your hard-earned money.
You don’t have to worry about what the world thinks about you. Your plate is filled till where it is easier for you to handle stress and happiness both.
Your shoulders don’t weigh down with the weight of other peoples baggage. You only have to deal with your problems and your stress.
You can live in the present and chart your future.
The bright side of living an average life is you can pause anytime. You can pause to feel the rain. You can pause to catch the butterfly. You can pause to enjoy coffee with a friend. You can pause when you feel tired or want to enjoy little joys.
A highly successful life with richness and fame can be on your agenda. Even that’s another goal you can keep in life and believe it you can achieve it. You will… One day!
On the other hand, while most of us are living our routine, mundane, usual, and sometimes boring average life, live it to the fullest. Enjoy being an average without a pang of guilt. You may never know there is someone who would give anything to be in your shoes. After you are gone, people won’t remember your success story for long. But they will always remember how you made them feel. Get up, dress up, show up, and live your life at your own pace.