Mediocrity versus excellence in doing science and all walks of life

We all are gifted naturally with immense potential for excellence. A conscious living leads to a conscious will, that is what we call is willpower. Conscious living releases so much of the latent energy that energizes our entire being to do so much. Then, where is the question of mediocrity or non-performance??? Intrigued, isn’t it!!!

The crux of the matter is how you spend your 6 pm to 9 am every single day decides how productive your 9 am to 6 pm will be. I am serious and not joking. I would request each of you who are reading this blog, to reflect upon yourselves and think how you have been spending your 6 pm to 9 am every day. You do not have to go much far in the past, but a week’s data should be sufficient to indicate the levels of your productivity, in other words, your commitment to excellence.

Well, I know the answer most of you will be having. Some of the typical answers are:

  1. I am so very exhausted at the end of the day that, I freshen up and just couch with my cell phone at 6 pm and try to relax. Then, I realize it is dinner time. 3-4 hours fly off.
  2. I am so very exhausted at the end of the day that, I freshen up and just switch on the TV at 6 pm as soon as I reach home and try unwinding. Then, I realize it is dinner time. 3-4 hours fly off.
  3. I am so very exhausted at the end of the day that I need to get busy with the household chores such as homework of children. Then, I realize it is dinner time. 3-4 hours fly off.
  4. Well, I just do things such as talking on the phone, having dinner and going to bed.
  5. I go to eat out sometimes and come home late followed by sleep. 3-4 hours fly off.
  6. I switch on my computer to study something and often get distracted and end up watching a movie or entertaining videos on YouTube. 3-4 hours fly off.

Some of the uncommon answers are:

  1. I go home, freshen up and go to the gym or go for a walk without my cell phone or any distraction before taking to anyone or getting busy with routine chores.
  2. I go home, freshen up, and sit alone reflecting upon how I had spent my day. I write down the accountability to myself for betterment before taking to anyone or getting busy with routine chores.
  3. I go home, freshen up and remind myself that I am mortal and I need to live my every moment productively, reflect upon how I had spent my day and do better tomorrow. All of these I do before taking to anyone or getting busy with the chores.
  4. I go home freshen up, do some yoga and meditation and self-reflection before taking to anyone or getting busy with the chores.

I understand that it takes a tremendous amount of willpower to practice what the uncommon answers correspond to and that too at the end of the day. However, the good news is that you do not need to spend the entire evening doing yoga, going for a walk, meditating, working out in the gym and reflecting on oneself. One can spend just an hour doing it and feel so much energized, focused with high levels of endorphins. Also, you will have an excellent sleep in the night. Very simple, isn’t it. Your commitment to yourself means to spend time for yourself, not much, just an hour every day (morning or evening) being with yourself, meditating, exercising and reflecting. Most important, make this a regular habit. You will be surprised to find the new scientific ideas flowing through your mind just after these precious moments with yourself. Pen them down immediately. This commitment to yourself will keep you energized as similar to an oasis in a desert before the entire world tears you apart with mediocrity.

The attitude should be: I promise to give quality time to myself because I am committed to excellence. Of course, I do not need to show off my superiority to the entire world around me. Instead, it becomes evident as I reflect more energy, more positivity, and more happiness. That creates an impact on the world around me. I do not compete with anyone; instead, I run my race to give more to myself. It is important to remind oneself that, “I have more energy to do what I am doing today and I am meant for doing more.” Efficiency and productivity are none other than excellence.
If we all practice this small exercise for one hour every day, we all can impact the world around us with excellence rather than being a little clod of mediocrity.

Happy reading!

With respect and love to all the readers of this blog.

Written by:

Dr. Bipasha Bose, Associate Professor, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India.

 

 

 

Photo courtesy and Artwork by:

Mr. Utsav Sen, ICMR-Senior Research Fellow, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India.

288,752 Replies to “Mediocrity versus excellence in doing science and all walks of life”

  1. Nice blog, wake up call for everyone!

  2. Well written and very motivating piece of work.

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