We measure everything these days. I heard a disturbing story on the radio about a place where they have figured out measures for what makes a woman more beautiful than another. They have determined that a certain length of legs, size of chest, weight, jawline angle, and more make for the most beautiful and appealing woman. And while we could examine why this measurement is wrong and misled on so many levels, what I want to talk about is how measurement can sometimes work against us in another way by leading us to mediocrity.

Imagine a schoolteacher who tells their students to complete ten exercises. After a time, one of the students comes to the teacher and asks for an eleventh exercise. The teacher tells them they have done well and all they need to do is complete the ten they were given.

What just happened? That teacher just said good enough is good enough. That teacher just opted for average. And average is just another word for mediocre.

That student wanted to do more. That student wanted to get even better than they were. That student was driven, and the teacher moved them down to the level of just-be-like-everyone-else.

Is that what we want in our world? Are we okay with hitting the number so there’s no need to get better or do more? Is our incessant measuring and pushing to hit a number stopping us from going beyond that number?

The desire to go beyond and push the limits is where we humans get creative and come up with not only better but sometimes best, or at least best for a time. The desire to go beyond is what sets records and raises the bar. The desire to go beyond is what creates visionary ideas that change things and solve problems.

Here’s the thing. We must see goals and numbers for what they are, ways to see where we have been, how far it is to where we might want to go, and where we are right now, but they are not ends, they are not finalities, they are drivers. They are drivers of what’s next. They are drivers of what we can become.

Don’t let measurement slow us down, don’t let it stop us at mediocrity and sameness. We must move. Our world needs exercise eleven and our world needs you to ask for it.

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