15 Common Habits of Mediocre People
Mediocrity rears its ugly head when people have a poor attitude, misguided philosophy, or bad habits. Know the warning signs and take appropriate action to counter them. Here are 15 common habits of mediocre people:
Lack of accountability. You always have a clever excuse or someone to blame so that you can dodge responsibility.
Complacency. You made it to the top and think you can rest on your laurels and live off your past accomplishments.
Victim mentality. You convince yourself that everyone’s against you and that success is beyond your control — so you stop trying to affect the outcome.
Lack of candid feedback. You rarely receive, nor do you want, feedback, so it’s hard for you to know where improvement is needed. As a result, you never learn from mistakes.
Low expectations. You set the bar so low for yourself that you’re pleased with mediocre performance.
Poor reward system. You’ve stopped trying because there’s no distinction in your organization between exceptional and poor performance.
Bad influence. You surround yourself with low achievers. Unfortunately, their behavior is contagious.
Lack of competition. You’re the only game in town, so folks have no option but to do business with you.
No conscience. Politics takes precedence over doing what’s right, and appearances become more important than outcomes.
Get something for nothing. You’re rewarded based on tenure rather than merit, so there’s no incentive to keep up with the times or to go the extra mile.
Poor leadership. You easily achieve results because the bar was set artificially low. The truth is, when you tolerate mediocrity, you get more of it.
Lack of commitment. You dip your toe in the water because you’re afraid to go all in. The result is that a superficial effort leads to superficial results.
Crave acceptance. You lower your personal standards to win social acceptance and become a member of the in-crowd.
Think you’re a know-it-all. You put learning on the back burner and become obsolete over time.
Apathy. You’ve been underperforming for so long you don’t even recognize excellence anymore.
What Do You Think?
Please leave a comment and tell us what you think or share it with someone who can benefit from the information.
Additional Reading:
If You’re Not Proud, You’re Not Done
Thanks for a Job Well Done
Never Lower Your Personal Standards. Never!
Who Cares? (I Hope You Do!)
You Can’t Force People to Care
Do You Have a Victim Mentality?
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August F Turak says
Frank, you know I am a fan, but this one is one of your best! Amen my brother!
Frank Sonnenberg says
Thanks so much, Augie. That means a lot coming from you. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
Camilla says
Fabulous post Frank. Thanks for sharing. Insightful and thought provoking regarding areas of personal growth.
Frank Sonnenberg says
Thanks Camilla. I’m glad you like it.
What’s more valuable than being able to look into the mirror each day and be proud of who you see? It’s your life to live. Own it! You have to live with yourself for the rest of your life.
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
Linda says
They are very true and when you work in a company where mediocrity is tolerated, you see the effects.
Frank Sonnenberg says
So true, Linda. It’s very sad.
As I say, “When you tolerate mediocrity, you get more of it.”
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Frank
Leigh says
I am this person. Ha.
Frank Sonnenberg says
I’m sure you’re not, Leigh. The truth is that we’re all flawed. That’s what makes us human. The important thing is to try to better ourselves every day.
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank