Dare to be mediocre

I created a blog at the beginning of 2024. A simple space for me to organise my thoughts and write. I had the idea in 2022, and I waited a whole year to actually publish it. The idea was that I would create a repository of articles throughout the year so I was ready to publish at least once a week and maintain consistency. 

Well, that is what I told myself I’ll do. What I was actually doing was delaying. 

I wondered - What if I wasn’t good enough? What if I don’t have thoughts worth sharing? 

What if I am just mediocre.

Nevertheless, after a year of waiting and writing some articles, I decided to start publishing my thoughts, a little infrequently last year and more consistently this year.

And it was not because my fear had dissipated. 

Instead, realising I am not the ‘greatest’ or even good yet helped me. Because becoming is the only way to be.

Our world operates on a principle of perception. If you see yourself as great, people believe you. If you see yourself as underconfident, people also believe you. 

Our wonderful solution - let’s pretend we are already amazing. 

You can be anything but a work in progress. So everyone is an expert even before they cross the beginner stage.

I get it. It’s scary. It’s easier to pretend than it is to be seen as ‘okay’. But you cannot achieve the peak of being good at something unless you cross the embarrassment valley of being- mediocre (or cringe, or terrible, or sometimes good, depending on the reader). And even then, there is no saving yourself from the occasional dip. Then the fear is not being great every time.

For now, I choose to focus on the process of writing - the fun and joy of giving words to emotions, to thoughts, to ideas. Of being surprised by myself, of understanding where my influences and learnings come from. Of getting to talk to people I never thought would read what I write, and getting their feedback (and some validation, I wouldn’t lie).

Even if it is just okay. Because a big part of the reward is just the experience.

Fear is just part of it- sometimes you need to step off the ledge anyway.