You're Really Not That Special

I've been thinking about restarting this site for a while now. The title doesn't exactly make sense anymore, being that I'm not living in Israel anymore, but who cares? 

I read an article a while ago that I'm not sure I agree with, it's been stuck in my head since and and maybe writing about it will help me figure it out. The article posited that the key to happiness in life is realizing that you're not extraordinary and accepting that you'll never be, or need to be, more than mediocre.

We live in a society where any rando can post something on Youtube or Instagram and become a nearly instant celebrity (yes, I just said rando, I'm technically a millenial, so it's chill). Everyone is told that they're special and it seems like they believe it. At the same time, everyone wants to be different. So much so that it's considered weird to be normal . From my viewpoint, most of the "different" people are exactly the same. It reminds me of one of my favorite Oscar Wilde quotes:

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."

I wonder what that says about one who quotes it :)

I've always wanted to be the best at something. Pretty much anything that I decide to do, I go into with the attitude that I'm going to do it better than anyone else. Humble, I know. So far, I haven't achieved that level of mastery in anything. I've done things to put myself in smaller percentages, like getting my pilot's license (something like 0.002% of the population in the US) and running a marathon (0.5%). Even so, I know many pilots and runners who are better at both than I will ever be (maybe).  

The harsh reality of life is that most of us will never reach a level of extraordinary anything. For every professional athlete, or movie star, there are tens of thousands of people who tried and failed. The same is true in every other area of life. The success stories we hear are the exception, not the rule, which is why they're notable. Yet, so many of us think that can be us and we continue to chase our dreams, despite all the evidence showing us that it's futile.

On the other hand, there are many people who have simpler expectations out of life. They know what they want, they set attainable goals and they meet them.

Who do you think is happier?

On a side note. In spite of my argument that most people are the same and not particularly exceptional, I do believe that every person has exceptional power that is inherent to being human. Simple acts that we do on a daily basis can change lives and consequently the world. Something as small as saying "good morning" or letting a car merge in front of you in traffic can have a tremendous snowball effect. Kind of like pay it forward, without the kid getting stabbed. 

It's easier to see in other people. If an 18 year old came to me asking me for career advice, I'd probably tell them to go to college, become a doctor, lawyer, if I thought they could do it. Yet, if I could go back in time, I wouldn't make the same choice for myself. 

I still dream big and set goals that others would call unrealistic. The evidence is currently showing me that they may be right. It's not too late for me to settle down into mediocrity. To start a career with predetermined limits, with less stress and uncertainty. Still, I don't feel that's being true to myself (what does that even mean?). I don't know that I can be happy working a 9-5 job, reporting to a boss. Accepting that I can be successful, but only to a point. So, what to do? Is there some kind of compromise? Am I hypocritical for thinking that people are made to be mediocre and then refusing to accept mediocrity for myself?