Above Average

I’ve been reading business books and founder’s memoirs.

Trying to learn. Trying to be inspired.

Each offers a different perspective on someone’s journey to the top and how they became the best of the best.

They have some consistent positive themes:

• It doesn’t have to be perfect to start. Start it now.
• You have to fail first. Then fail some more and keep learning to be successful.
• Very slow beginnings can sometimes lead to meteoric rises.
• Be yourself; do it for the right reasons. Find your ‘Why’
• Stories sell.

They also have some more troubling themes:

• Unimaginably long work hours
• Strained marriages
• Stress-related health problems
• Difficult family relationships.

I’ve started wondering why I find these books so inspiring but equally hard to relate to.

I’m in my mid 30’s, so the top 30 under 30 is already out, and the idea of alpine summits rubbing elbows with the world’s best motivational speakers and business titans sounds miserable to me.

Where are the stories about the pretty good, the above average?

The person that is decently successful, leads a comfortable life, loves their partner and has never missed their kid’s soccer game.

If there were a story like that, would you want to read it?

I wouldn’t, sounds pretty average.

But does an average story, make for a better life?

I don’t know. Maybe it could.

My mind is currently stuck between two quotes.

Most of my life, I’ve loved this one:

“Find what you love and let it kill you.“ — Kinky Friedman/Charles Bukowski

These days, this one sounds more appealing:

“Yes, but I have something he will never have . . . Enough.” — Joseph Heller

Hopefully, someday with a shift in priorities, we’ll find a happy place somewhere in the middle.