I think the greatest fear to have in this world is the fear of mediocrity. I think we should tremble at the notion of being lost in the shuffle and shirk away from any path of normality. Anyone can stride through the motions of day-to-day life, pursuing an existence rather than a life, but why would you?

Remember this — it takes nothing to be mediocre. Mediocrity needs no passion, needs no determination, and needs no desire. It needs no true work, no true effort, and no true sacrifice. A life of this choice is an easy one undoubtedly, but one of no reward. To be great is to strive to be more than you are, and to be mediocre is to accept your current position as good enough.

I don’t want to be good enough. I want to be great. We all should.

Imagine, for a moment, what our world would be if every individual strove for, and accepted nothing less than, their own personal greatness. Imagine the potential that would not only be reached but exceeded. Mind you, it is unjust to give "greatness” one overarching definition. One person’s greatness cannot be compared to another’s. Be it a scholar who pushed themselves to the result of finding the cure to cancer or the mother who pushed herself to land the executive position she always dreamed of, it does not matter. What matters is these individuals would not accept their present reality and sought after something more, a something more which then benefited the world around them in one way or another.

Because of this, avoidance of mediocrity and pursuit of more will affect another person. Inspiration spurs from actions, and tomorrow, those actions could be yours. You could be the person who inspired the man on the street to go back to law school, or the young girl on the sidelines to get out onto the soccer field. You could be the one to influence the extra question asked or the extra mile ran. You could ignite the same fire you found within yourself in someone else.

Every single one of us has the ability to be better. There are no peaks for any of us besides the ones we allow on our own. Be better yourself and, in turn, inspire someone else to do the same.

Help others. Laugh uncontrollably. Love with all of your being. Find joys in the little things, and take awe in the big things. Dream without limits and hope without regard to reason. Be kind. Be loving. Be great. This life is one of limitless possibility, but these possibilities only show themselves to those who give all they have towards their uncovering. Will you be one of them?