How to Break the Cycle of Mediocrity

Sometimes life just stays the same... As a child, my parents moved to a small seaside town in the UK. In this town, it was not uncommon to settle into a certain routine, earn a maximum wage, and raise your family without ever leaving. While this could be said for many towns across the world, there was always a lack of inspiration to do more than what was expected in that place. Looking back, out of the 200+ children in my year at senior school, less than ten of us managed to "make it out," and that includes me. But what did I do to break that cycle? And what am I doing to continue breaking the cycle?

Express your thoughts openly: I used to be more of a people pleaser, always saying yes because it seemed easier than saying no. However, people-pleasing is a losing game. You find yourself constantly marginalized, misused, exploited, and treated with little or no regard. Around the time I turned 38, I became more direct. I started breaking bad news with a smile and expressing certain things in a sarcastic tone. I became more verbally aggressive, not abusive, just fighting for myself and dominating the room when necessary. Prior to this, if someone asked me what I thought, I would say I liked it. Now, I'll say if it's terrible. I try to be diplomatic if I can, but ultimately, I find that being honest serves me better.

Be financially aware: I now know exactly what I'm spending, save a proportion of my salary, and make strategic financial moves. In the past, I would never touch my savings, buy shares, or plan my finances ahead. Being financially aware has helped me stop squandering money and has also motivated me to assist others on their financial journeys. I frequently help people plan their pensions or provide tips on safe long-term investments. When you have financial awareness, people treat you differently.

Travel more: Traveling gives you a sense of security and freedom that you don't experience in everyday life. I love going to new places and figuring everything out on my own. Sooner or later, you realize that this becomes a crucial life skill that can be applied to other areas. Travel exposes you to different cultures, history, and languages, and it makes you a more confident person. At first, I travelled with partners, and then I started traveling alone.

Embrace opportunities: I used to frequently refuse to do things I wanted to do out of fear. For example, I was hesitant to attend a big film festival as an ordinary person. However, I took the chance and attended as a film reviewer. This led to me creating films and eventually organizing a film festival. Through these experiences, I ended up attending the biggest film festivals in the world as an industry professional and becoming a film ambassador for the UK, even consulting for the likes of Netflix. After 38 years of stagnation, a change in my mindset set everything in motion. I'm now invited all over the world and considered an industry player.

Be more committed: I now speak with conviction. In the past, I would often talk about what we could do to achieve possible outcomes, but now I'm firm and resolute. I have confidence in what I say. If we take certain actions, I confidently state what the result will be. The world has no time for maybes, and neither should you. To move forward, you need to be fully committed to your cause.

Leave unresponsive individuals behind: There may be different opinions on this, but for me, if I'm repeatedly let down or if the people I guide consistently disregard my advice (only to discover later that I was right and they still fail), it's time to let them go. We can all strive to be the best versions of ourselves, but we can only spend so much time on people who don't listen or learn from our guidance. If you know you're right or if they let you down in a significant way, it's important to move forward without them. As for turning the other cheek, save that for someone else. For every person who disregards you, there will be someone else who needs your valuable advice. Stop wasting your time on the wrong people.

Understand who you can trust: Trust is crucial, and we all need important people in our lives. When you find those people you trust, reward them by showing them the benefits of being in your inner circle. Check in on them, support them, work with them, and help them out. This is the foundation for lifelong friendships, having the same people by your side for weeks, years, and decades to come.

Embrace positive hobbies: Your hobby can be anything that matters to you. Even using Instagram can become a hobby because it stimulates your thought process. You start considering what will look good on the platform, which makes you think more about the look and feel rather than just creating a generic picture. This can lead to learning photography skills and potentially open up new career paths. It's possible to turn almost every hobby into a revenue-generating endeavour with a little thought.

Never rely on one source of income: Whatever your main source of income is, create additional streams of revenue. Even if they only earn you a few dollars a month, they create opportunities to expand your plans beyond the basics. I, for example, run a film festival, organize pop-up cinema events, write for revenue-generating websites, and continuously sell items on eBay alongside my day job. The problem with relying on a single income stream is that it can be taken away at any time. Regardless of whether additional streams contribute only 10% of your income, they provide opportunities to sell more, write more, and create more with your time. Initially, these endeavours may only bring in small amounts, but over time, they often develop into regular sources of income.

Many of these ideas might seem obvious, but how many of us actually apply them? Changing your mindset and embracing ambition are what allowed me to shift from being a minimum wage earner to earning a wage that places me in the top 10% of UK workers. These opportunities are rarely handed to you; you must open the doors yourself so that opportunity can walk right in. By following these principles, you can break free from the limitations that hold you back and create a life filled with growth, success, and fulfilment.