A. W. Tozer once said, “Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”

Are you average? Have you ever thought about it? After all, what’s the big deal? “Why does it really matter if I am average, Scott? Aren’t most people?”

Well, yes they are…

...and that is the problem.

You see, you were not put here on Earth just to be average. You were created with a purpose – and that purpose was NOT to be average. It was NOT to be just like everybody else. It was NOT for you just to go through the motions.

It was for you to become the BEST version of YOU.

Oh, and the best version of you is NOT AVERAGE.

A few years ago I had a man at my home doing a termite inspection. He was extremely sharp – so much so that I asked him why he was doing this as a career. He said that he was just filling in for one of his workers, as he actually ran the department.

During our discussion, we started talking about the hiring process. I loved what he said about what happened during a recent interview with a young man. Toward the end of the interview, the young man asked him, “How much does the average person make on this job?” His answer:

“Why? Do you want to be average?”

You see, like the young man, most people never think about this concept on a personal level. Usually due to a poor self-image (or at least a lack of confidence) most people think that it is OK to be average. For many people, it is OK for them.

I hope for you that it is not.

A former business associate of mine once said this about “average.” (I believed he heard it while serving in the Army.)

“Average is the best of the worst; the worst of the best, and; the cream of the crap.”

Ouch.

This leads me to another question:

Is this what you want on your tombstone?

“Here lies Joe. He was truly average.”

If you want something more meaningful on your tombstone, I want to challenge you to START TODAY to become a better version of yourself.

– start reading a personal development book
– choose somewhere to go serve others
– take a Dale Carnegie course
– join Toastmasters
– start (or restart) an exercise regimen (with your doctor’s approval)

It does not matter WHERE you start. It only matters THAT you start…and then decide to continue improving a little each day.

I will leave you with this thought:

I have NEVER met a truly successful person who lived life without a Plan. Start today making your plan on how you are going to become the best version of yourself.

You – and those with whom you do life – will be amazed.