Average

For much of my life, I chased averages and highs.

In college, my professors posted the average scores for each exam. If you want a B+ in the class, you need average scores on each exam. If you want an A, you need to beat the averages by about one standard deviation. The only way you can be sure you'll get an A is to get the highest score.

Averages and highs are useful in a few ways. They provide benchmarks and help set expectations. I'm not that different from most people. When I look at a new skill, I think to myself, if most people take an average amount of time to get to an average level of skill, then I probably will too. Then, when I reach the average or attain the high, I have stats to justify my sense of competence or confidence.

But there's a few problems with chasing averages and highs.

First, averages depend on cohorts. Maybe your school, city, state, region, and country each has its own average. If you forget the cohort, you might think you're better or worse than you really are. If you score a perfect score on an exam, then you got the same score as everyone else who got a perfect score, so in a way, you're not that special. But if you're an average pro athlete, and you perform about as well as other pro athletes, you might forget that you're way better than just about any casual.

Second, if you focus too much on averages and cohorts, you can forget about yourself and stagnate. If you have a target ranking within a target cohort, then you limit yourself when you reach it. There are usually better cohorts. Even if you're the number one in the best cohort, you can still polish and improve. The way to do that is to focus on improving your own craft instead of beating others. I think that's why many top performers beat their own records. To be your best, you must beat yourself.

If you want to grow and be your best, then ask yourself, how have you performed in the last six weeks compared to the previous six weeks? Move your average instead of chasing the rankings. Progress, growth, and recovery take time. Not every day is going to be good. You just need more good days than bad days, and after many weeks, you'll hopefully be better than you were.

June 21, 2024