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2 min read Mindset

You Didn't Wake Up Today to Be Mediocre

man jogging on trail

I don't lace up my running shoes just to go through the motions. I don't show up to the gym, the track, or the road just to check a box. And I sure as hell don't wake up each day just to be mediocre.

That thought is what drives me when the alarm goes off before the suns up. When I step outside and feel the chill in the air or the weight of fatigue from a long week, I remind myself—I didn't come this far to be average. Neither did you.

Mediocrity is the Easy Choice


It's comfortable. It's familiar. It's the warm bed when you know you should be moving. It's the excuse that tells you "tomorrow" is a better day to start. It's the whisper in your head that says you've done enough, when deep down, you know you have more to give.

But we're not here for that.


If you're reading this, I know you want more. Maybe you're chasing a PR. Maybe you're trying to build consistency, get stronger, or simply prove to yourself that you can. Whatever your goal is, one thing is certain: settling won't get you there.

Make the Choice to Push


Every time you choose to step up instead of step back, you separate yourself. Every time you push through when it would be easier to quit, you set a new standard for yourself. And over time, those choices compound.

Excellence isn't a single moment—it's built in the small decisions you make every day. The decision to show up. To put in the work. To do the extra rep, the extra mile, the extra effort that most people avoid.

What's Your Standard?

Ask yourself:

  • Are you giving it everything you have?
  • Are you holding yourself to a higher standard, or are you making peace with "good enough"?
  • Are you living in a way that the future version of yourself will look back and be proud of?

I remind myself of these questions often. Because the truth is, no one is coming to push me out the door, to make sure I put in the work. That's on me. Just like it's on you.

You didn't wake up today to be mediocre. So don't live like you did. Get after it.

Keep moving forward!

J.R.

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