Last time in "We Get Stuff," we talked about the Dunkin Donuts package that was sent to us. Today, it's an upcoming book by a man named Vince Stone, called Embracing Your Inner Mediocrity: Making Peace With Reality. Vince, a self-proclaimed "small town smart ass," is from Tennessee and was inspired by our championing of the UTC Mocs, so he sent his book in for our enjoyment.
Embracing Your Inner Mediocrity is a light-hearted self-help book about the very simple fact that most of us are mediocre. Not failures, just average. The basic message of the book is that the sooner you can accept your place in the middle, the happier you will be. And what's great about this book is Vince's full-on mediocre approach to the book. The cover, for instance. Look at the expression on his face. GENIUS.
I haven't finished the book yet, but here's a passage in his introduction that I really love:
"I've even left in some typos for you overachievers to find. By announcing these errors ahead of time, I've gone from looking stupid to clever. I put a small list of errors in the back for those who get bored with the book."
Wisely, Vince is not promoting mediocrity in areas of life that really matter:
"If you have a job where your performance has a role in deciding if a person lives or dies, then you need to put this book down and go study something that will help you be better. Seriously. I'm not messing around. This book is NOT for you. Nurses too. We need you in top form. You screw up, we die. But, you ordinary professionals...sit back and keep on reading."
The book takes you through the steps you'll need to take to embrace your mediocrity in all areas of your life: your body, your workplace, your love life, your friendships, etc. At the end, there's even a final exam and certificate of achievement (or non-achievement, if you want to get technical). It's a fun read, and there's something to be said about scaling back our delusions of grandeur...am I right, AIG? In that spirit, here is a picture of me - sans makeup - embracing my Embracing Your Inner Mediocrity:
Thank you, Vince. I feel better already.
