Quiet quitting and the adoption of calculated mediocrity

In our society we’re all about achieving success and being the best of the best. It’s “Go big or go home,” but sometimes that can lead to straight-up burnout and major stress.

But fear not, my fellow aspiring overachievers, because there are some alternative strategies for maintaining balance and prioritizing well-being. And I’m not talking about slacking off or being a total quitter, but rather embracing the concepts of quiet quitting and calculated mediocrity.

First up, quiet quitting. This is when you step away from a situation or activity without making a big deal about it. It’s perfect for when you’re in a toxic work environment or feeling overwhelmed by your workload. Just stop engaging, focus your time and energies in the right areas, and avoid all that unnecessary drama. Who needs it? And if you don’t want to attend all those endless meetings, just mark them as “tentative” and decide in the moment whether they’re worth your time. Pro-tip: they probably aren’t.

Next, let’s talk about calculated mediocrity. Now, I know what you’re thinking – mediocrity? That sounds terrible! But hear me out. Calculated mediocrity means intentionally performing at a level that’s below your full potential in certain areas of your life. It’s like the saying goes, “Never make the best cup of coffee, because then you’ll forever be asked to make the coffee.” By choosing where to excel and where to just be average, you can reduce the pressure you put on yourself and maintain a healthier work-life balance. And who knows, it might even help you advance in ways you never thought possible before.

Of course, these strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions. Sometimes you gotta push yourself to the limit or take a big risk to achieve your goals. But in a culture that glorifies overwork and burnout, it’s important to remember that there are alternative approaches that can be just as effective, if not more so.

In conclusion, my friends, don’t be afraid to embrace the concepts of quiet quitting and calculated mediocrity. By recognizing when it’s time to move on and intentionally choosing where to excel, you can reduce the pressure you put on yourself and live a happier, more fulfilling life. And who doesn’t want that?

*** The views expressed in this blog have been generated by ChatGPT and the OpenAI language models which don’t necessarily represent the views of this author… unless they do. In this case it is an experiment with content generation, tone and voice, accuracy, colloquial concepts, and fun.