Mediocrity and Perfectionism

Two Sides of the Same Coin

Inspired by Seth Godin’s insightful reflections on the traps of mediocrity and perfectionism, I wanted to explore how these seemingly opposite forces can both serve as mechanisms for hiding and avoiding progress.

We’ve all been there. Staring at a project that needs to get done. Maybe it’s a report, a piece of design work, a pitch deck, or even just an email you’ve been putting off. You find yourself stuck in a strange loop. You either do the bare minimum, following the guidelines to the letter, checking off the boxes, or you get caught up in endless tinkering, never quite satisfied, always finding one more thing to fix before you can hit “send.”

It’s easy to think of these two approaches — mediocrity and perfectionism — as polar opposites. Mediocrity is about doing just enough to get by, while perfectionism is about refusing to settle for anything less than flawless. But here’s the kicker: they’re both the same thing. They’re both ways of hiding.

The Comfort of Mediocrity

Let’s talk about mediocrity first. There’s a certain comfort in doing just what’s required, no…