10 Keys to Breaking the Habit of Mediocrity

"Not that I have already attained or have already been perfected, but I follow after it so that I may lay hold of that for which I was seized by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Phil. 3:12-13).

Here are 10 keys to breaking the habit of mediocrity:

1. Champions do daily what the average do occasionally.

• A lot of people expect an excellent life with 80 percent effort.
• Inertia comes in the last effort.
• You will never break the grip of mediocrity with a halfhearted effort.

2. Champions do not believe in luck.

• Don't bet your life on luck and don't put your faith in fate.
• Champions believe in practice.
• You may well be gifted, but your gift must be exercised to be strengthened.
• You must sharpen your skill set (Eccl. 10:10).

3. You will never become the best you can be without facing the violent opposition of mediocrity.

• Those who have chosen to settle often come into contention with those who want to break out of the norm.
• Mediocrity is the best of the worst and the worst of the best.

4. Don't be surprised by the claws of compromise that will grasp at you to keep you from taking one step beyond being average.

• The opposite of courage isn't fear; it's compromise.
• Write a statement affirming your desire toward excellence, place it on the mirror so that you remind yourself in the morning to be encouraged.

5. Every level is the test of potential.

• The moment that you show faithfulness, you double your potential. Jesus taught an amazing principle regarding a man who entrusted his money to three managers. Two of the three doubled his money, proving their faithfulness to their present ability. The third manager despised his boss, considering that he was harsh and demanding. The unfaithful manager was fired and lost the ability that he once had mastered (Matt. 25).
• If you've not been faithful to another man's property, who will entrust you with your own?

6. Those who no longer dream, often despise those who still dare to dream.

• I've noticed that many people have given up on their dreams. Rather than cheering on others, they often do everything they can to discourage dreamers.
• If you're going to push beyond mediocrity and achieve the dream, you may have to limit the access of those who mock your efforts.

7. Excellence never says, "Good enough."

• No one stands up to applaud mediocrity.
• You are more than what you've been, not nearly what you'll be.

8. Average people make their decisions according to the present, not the future.

• Denial of a craving is the sign of maturity and mastery of self.
• Live like no one else so one day you can live like no one else.
• Champions deny the appetite of the present in order to protect their purpose.

9. In the pursuit of your dream, do not allow a stopover to become a settlement.

• Take the next step.
• God leads us in steps, not in leaps.
• The only one to suggest taking a leap of faith was Satan.

10. A real person of faith believes for something that may require longer than his own lifetime to achieve.

• Hebrews 11:13-16