Mediocrity is not a choice; it is the Default Setting.
In physics, Escape Velocity is the minimum speed needed for an object to break free from the gravitational attraction of a massive body. In life, the “massive body” is the Average—the set of cultural norms, safe paths, and “good enough” standards that pull everyone toward the center.
If you aren’t actively accelerating, you are being pulled back down.
The 7 Forces of Gravity
The original list identified 7 ways we get stuck in the atmosphere of the average:
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Consensus Seeking: You wait for the group to agree before you move.
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Safety as a Strategy: You prioritize “not losing” over “winning.”
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Intellectual Stagnation: You stopped learning the moment you got the credential.
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The “Good Enough” Plateau: You stop refining once the external requirement is met.
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External Validation: Your self-worth is a fluctuating stock price controlled by other people’s opinions.
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Victimhood: You spend more energy explaining the “Gravity” than you do building the “Engine.”
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Linear Thinking: You expect 1:1 returns on effort, ignoring the power of leverage and compounding.
The Protocol: Achieving Escape Velocity
To break free from the Average, you must generate more “Thrust” than “Drag.”
1. The “Standard + 20%” Rule On every deliverable, look at what is “Expected” (the gravity) and add 20% more depth, more polish, or more insight. This 20% is the fuel that creates the separation between you and the crowd.
2. Seek “High-Resolution” Friction Average people avoid friction. Sovereigns seek it out. They look for “Hard Problems” that others are too lazy or too scared to solve. The more difficult the problem, the less “gravity” there is at the top, because fewer people are there to compete with you.
3. Optimize for “Outcomes,” Not “Optics” Stop worrying about how the work looks to your peers. Focus entirely on the impact it has on the mission. When you stop performing for the “Average” audience, you gain the freedom to do exceptional work.
#DhandheKaFunda: The middle of the road is where the traffic is. If you want to move fast, you have to leave the road. Excellence is found in the lonely space where the ‘Average’ refuses to go.