The Miracle Morning (7 page)

So the crucial question—the one that we must explore and find the answer to—is this: 
what can we do now to ensure that we don’t end up struggling, like the 95% majority will?

Rising Above Mediocrity and Joining the Top 5%

The fact that you’re reading this book tells me that you’re ready for the next level in your life—that you’re not okay with settling for less than you can have, be, and do anymore, just because nearly everyone else does.

Here are three simple, yet decisive steps to rise above mediocrity and join the top 5%: 

Step #1:  Acknowledge the 95% Reality Check

First, we must understand and acknowledge the reality that 95% of our society will never create and live the life they really want. We must embrace the fact that if we don’t commit to thinking and living differently than
most people
now
, we are setting ourselves up to endure a life of mediocrity, struggle, failure and regret—just like most people. Realize that this
will
include our own friends, family, and peers
if
we don’t do something about it now and set an example of what’s possible when we commit to fulfilling our potential.

Being average means to
settle
for less than you truly want and are capable of, and to
struggle
for your entire life. Every day, most people settle, and most people struggle on almost every level. Physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, financially—you name it—most people wake up each day and struggle to create the levels of success, happiness, love fulfillment, health and financial prosperity that they truly desire.

Consider the Following: 

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Physically
—Obesity is an epidemic. Potentially fatal diseases like cancer and heart disease are on the rise. The average person is exhausted, their physical energy levels at an all time low. Most can’t seem to generate enough energy to make it through a single day without consuming a few cups of coffee or a
5-Hour Energy®
drink. The success of that product is further evidence of the degree to which people are struggling physically.

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Mentally and Emotionally
—More prescription drugs are being consumed every day in an attempt to combat disorders like depression, anxiety, and countless other mental or emotional illnesses. Rarely do you turn on the TV without seeing an ad for some prescription drug. There’s usually some good looking middle-aged couple, flying a kite on the beach with their dog. Then a man with a deep voice starts speaking gently, rattling off symptoms, followed by a list of potential side effects: 
“Do you ever feel tired, sad, lonely, depressed, overweight, or anything else that you’d be willing to pay money to not feel anymore?  Great, you’re in luck—XYZ drug can help!  Warning:  may cause side effects such as bloating, constipation, diathermia, dizziness, dry mouth, dandruff, insomnia, narcolepsy, and many other things far worse than what it’s actually supposed to help you with. So, don’t wait—call the number on your screen today!”
 

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Relationally
—It’s well known that there is an epidemic of divorce in America, with one in two marriages failing. In other words, over half of those deeply in love couples, who stand before their friends and family and commit their lives to each other—
through the good times and the bad
, might I remind you—struggle to make it work. After more than 30 years of marriage, two of my favorite people—my mom and dad—recently divorced. I’m very present to the pain of this all too common relational struggle.

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Financially
—Americans have more personal debt than at any other time in history. Most people aren’t earning nearly as much money as they’d like to be earning. They’re spending too much, not saving enough, and struggling financially.

It’s no secret that most people are living life far below their potential. Once we can acknowledge that, it’s crucial that we explore what causes most people to struggle and settle for mediocrity in their lives.

Step #2: Identify the Causes of Mediocrity

Once we’ve acknowledged that 95% of our society is settling for far less than they are capable of, struggling in almost every area, and not experiencing the levels of success, happiness, and freedom that they really want, the next crucial step is to understand
why
. To prevent it from happening to you, you must know what causes the average person to end up living a life of mediocrity.

If you were to ask the average person in this country—40-50 years old, settling for less than they want, and struggling to be happy, pay their bills, etc.—if you were to ask them if
this
was their plan, their vision for their life, what do you think they would say? Do you think they envisioned their life being a struggle? Of course not! And that, my friend, is the
scary
part.

If 95% of our society is not living the life that they want, we
must
figure out what they did wrong or what they didn’t do right, so that we don’t end up living a life of mediocrity.

We don’t want our lives to be a struggle. I want a life of freedom, where I get to wake up and do what I want, when I want, with whomever I want. I want to get out of bed every day and truly
love
my life. I want to
love
my work, and I want to
love
the people I get to share my life and work with. That’s my definition of success. That kind of life doesn’t just happen. It must be designed. If you want to live an extraordinary life as defined and designed by you, then you must identify the fundamental
causes of mediocrity
so you can prevent them from robbing you of the life you want.

The following are what I believe to be the most relevant causes of mediocrity and unfulfilled potential—the ones that have made and will continue to make the biggest impact on your life—and what you can do to defeat them: 

Causes of Mediocrity (and Immediate Solutions):

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Rearview Mirror Syndrome

One of the most crippling causes of mediocrity in life is a condition I call
Rearview Mirror Syndrome
(RMS). Our subconscious minds are equipped with a self-limiting rearview mirror, through which we continuously relive and recreate our past. We mistakenly believe that who we
were
is who we
are
, thus limiting our true potential in the present, based on the limitations of our past.

As a result, we filter every choice we make—from what time we will wake up in the morning to which goals we will set to what we allow ourselves to consider possible for our lives—through the limitations of our past experiences. We want to create a better life, but sometimes we don’t know how to see it any other way than how it’s always been.

Research shows that on any given day, the average person thinks somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 thoughts. The problem is that ninety-five percent of our thoughts are the same as the ones we thought the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that. It’s no wonder most people go through life, day after day, month after month, year after year, and never change the quality of their lives.

Like old, worn baggage, we carry stress, fear, and worry from yesterday with us into today. When presented with opportunities, we quickly check our rearview mirror to assess our past capabilities. “No, I’ve never done anything like that before. I’ve never achieved at that level. In fact, I’ve failed, time and time again.”

When presented with adversity, we go back to our trusty rearview mirror for guidance on how to respond. “Yep, just my luck. This crap always happens to me. I’m just going to give up; that’s what I’ve always done when things get too difficult.”

If you are to move beyond your past and transcend your limitations, you must stop living out of your rearview mirror and start imagining a life of limitless possibilities. Accept the paradigm: 
my past does not equal my future
. Talk to yourself in a way that inspires confidence that not only is anything possible, but that
you
are capable and committed to making it so. It’s not even necessary to believe it at first. In fact, you probably won’t believe it. You might find it uncomfortable and that you resist doing it. That’s okay. Repeat it to yourself anyway, and your subconscious mind will begin to absorb the positive self-affirmations. (More on how to do this in
Chapter 6:  The Life S.A.V.E.R.S.
)

Don’t place unnecessary limitations on what you want for your life. Think bigger than you’ve allowed yourself to think up until this point. Get clear on what you truly want, condition yourself to the belief that it’s possible by focusing on and affirming it every day, and then consistently move in the direction of your vision until it becomes your reality. There is nothing to fear, because you cannot fail—only learn, grow, and become better than you’ve ever been before.

Always remember that where you are is a result of who you
were
, but where you go depends entirely on who you choose to be, from this moment on.

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Lack of Purpose

If you ask the average person what their
life purpose
is, you will get a funny look or a response like “Gee, I dunno.” What if I asked you? What would you say? The average person can’t articulate their life purpose—the compelling “why” that drives them to wake up every day and do whatever it takes to fulfill their mission in life.

Rather, the average person takes life one day at a time, and has no higher purpose beyond merely surviving. Most people just focus on getting through the day, taking the path of least resistance, and pursuing short term, short-lived pleasures along the way, while avoiding any pain or discomfort that might cause them to grow.

During the course of my seven-year career in direct sales, despite having broken numerous company sales records, I spent the first six of those seven years fighting the uphill battle of mediocrity, and losing more often than not. My results were inconsistent, and I consistently accepted far less than my best, until I finally figured out the secret to overcoming mediocrity: 
live a life of purpose
.

After being inducted into the company’s hall of fame, it was time to move on and pursue my dreams of becoming an author, speaker, and coach. However,
I had never achieved my full potential with the company
. I was about to leave the company with the mediocrity monkey on my back. It was sure to follow me into my next venture unless I did something about it.

Up until then, I didn’t have a compelling life purpose that got me up in the morning even when I didn’t
feel
like getting up. I had no purpose that drove me to get on the phone and call prospects, even when I didn’t
need
more money. I decided in that moment that my life purpose for the next 12 months would be: 
to become the person I need to be to create the success, freedom, and quality of life that I truly want
. I combined this with my other life purpose (yes, you can have more than one), which was to
selflessly add value to the lives of others
by assembling a team of 16 other sales reps. I led weekly conference coaching calls to support them in reaching their goals, free of charge, for the next 46 consecutive weeks.

Living every day in alignment with my two life purposes—constantly, consciously aligning my thoughts, words and actions with each purpose—not only did I have my best sales year ever (a 94% increase over my previous best), but I also led more reps to surpassing the highest performance level than at any other time in the company’s 50-year history.

To defeat this cause of mediocrity, you need a
life purpose
, which can be any purpose you want. It can be anything that resonates with and inspires you to wake up every day and live in alignment with your purpose. Now, I totally understand that asking you to come up with your life’s purpose right now may sound a bit overwhelming. Just remember that you get to make it up, and this first one can be something simple, even small. (e.g. “I’m going to smile more so that I can bring a little more happiness to my life and to those around me.”  Or, “I’m going to ask every person I meet what I can do to help them, so that I can add value to more people’s lives.”)  It will be your first step towards a bigger life purpose.

Keep in mind that you can change your life purpose at any time. As you grow and evolve, so will your purpose. What’s important is that you choose a purpose—any purpose—and start living by it, now. You can even borrow one of the purposes I just shared with you. (Many of my coaching clients have.)

Keep in mind that you’re not supposed to “figure out” what your purpose is, you get to make it up, create it, decide what you want it to be. In his bestselling book
The Rhythm of Life
, Matthew Kelly enlightens us to a universal life purpose that I believe we should all live by: 
to become the best version of ourselves
. In other words, focus on growing and being the best you can be, pursuing your dreams and inspiring others to do the same. That’s your purpose.