I'm really only average

I don’t want to seem like a downer, but follow me here: I like to think I’m doing alright but really I’m pretty average.

If you consider a few adjectives you might use to define someone, such as ‘athletic’, ‘artistic’, ‘smart’, ‘funny’, I would not say that I am amazing in any category. On some days I am better in each area than others but I am not a musical prodigy, I’m not heading up on stage to put on my comedy act, nor is Mensa banging down my door.

What I am really good at is being on time, being organized and being reliable. These aren’t the Ivy League or the big 5, as some call it, of qualities but they are my qualities. Definitely not highly regarded by my teachers in school but they have served me really well in business. Sometimes I think these things are overlooked.

I always kept my tack trunk, car and house tidy; I am a super fast stall cleaner! I have never missed paying a bill (that I could afford haha), I show up where I say I will when I say I will (maybe even 5 minutes early). Still, none of these things can really be put down on your resume as any sort of measurable entity on the experience list. It’s tough to say, “I worked at such and such place (PS I actually showed up on time, got more done than the next guy each day, and never called in sick .” Where do you get to put the PS part?

I can tell you as someone that manages a business that if the ‘PS part’ was true and actually on a resume I read, that would be of high value to me as an employer. I don’t believe there is enough emphasis put on these qualities in school or upon young people.

Following the same train of thought:

I’m not a stellar rider, nobody described me as special in this area growing up (ok, except my mom) but I’m organized and reliable. I’ve organized my thoughts enough to make goals, plans to reach goals and I get myself in touch with the right people to help make that happen.

I practice hard and I ask questions. Do all horses like me? Do I get more out of them than the next guy? Am I rising through the ranks faster than the others? No, but I’m slogging my way up there and I’m committed and organized in my approach to reach the goals I set for myself.

In short I’m pretty average but I’m striving to be pretty average at a lot of things and consistent in everything I do.