Be Obsessed or Be Average

01Break Free from the Epidemic of Average

We live in a world that is completely infected by a silent, highly contagious disease, and that disease is the overwhelming desire to be just like everyone else. From the moment we are born, the people around us subtly train us to aim for the middle of the pack. We are taught to get decent grades, find a secure job with a modest retirement plan, buy a sensible house, and quietly ride out the clock until we pass away. Society champions the concept of settling. We hear phrases like "be realistic," "don't bite off more than you can chew," and "money cannot buy happiness" on a daily basis. These phrases sound like harmless pieces of conventional wisdom, but Grant Cardone warns us that they are actually toxic ideologies designed to keep you small. Average is a failing formula in today’s highly competitive, rapidly changing world, and accepting it is the most dangerous risk you can possibly take. To truly understand the danger of this epidemic, we have to look back at the author's own life story. When Grant was twenty-five years old, he emerged from a rehabilitation center after struggling with severe drug addiction. The professional counselors looked at him, analyzed his intense, addictive personality, and gave him what they thought was the best possible advice. They told him to take it easy, avoid stress, blend into the background, and never aim too high because the disappointment of failure would trigger a relapse. They diagnosed his extreme personality as a fatal flaw. However, Grant soon realized that living a quiet, low-stress, average life was exactly what made him miserable in the first place. He recognized that his intense, all-consuming energy was not the problem; the problem was the vehicle he was pouring that energy into. He decided to completely reject the advice of the experts and channel his addictive personality into his career, his personal growth, and his financial success. The middle-class mindset is a trap because it creates a false sense of security. When you aim for average, you leave yourself entirely vulnerable to the slightest economic downturn, a sudden medical emergency, or an unexpected layoff. Average savings will not protect you during a massive recession. An average work ethic will not keep you off the chopping block when a company decides to downsize. We see this play out in everyday life constantly. Think about the countless people who clock into a job they despise every Monday, silently endure the week, and then numb themselves on the weekend with endless hours of television or mindless scrolling on social media. They have accepted a life of quiet desperation because they believe that wanting more is greedy or unrealistic. They have surrendered to the epidemic. Breaking free from this mindset requires a complete ideological shift. You have to start viewing the concept of "normal" with deep suspicion. If the normal person is broke, stressed, unhappy, and unfulfilled, why on earth would you want to take advice from them or emulate their lifestyle? You must actively decide to deny average in every single area of your life. This means refusing to accept a mediocre marriage, refusing to accept average health, and absolutely refusing to accept an average income. Here are a few clear indicators that you might be infected by the epidemic of average: You frequently use the word "enough" when talking about your finances or your achievements. You find yourself complaining about the economy, the government, or your boss instead of taking personal responsibility. You look forward to Friday more than any other day of the week because you want to escape your reality. You view people who achieve massive success with suspicion or jealousy rather than curiosity and admiration. To cure yourself of this disease, you must stop listening to the masses. The middle class operates on the principle of conservation—saving energy, saving pennies, and avoiding risk. The obsessed operate on the principle of expansion—creating energy, multiplying wealth, and taking massive, calculated risks. You have to draw a hard line in the sand and declare that you will no longer participate in the collective race to the bottom. It requires courage to stand up and say that you want it all, but that declaration is the very first step toward a life of extraordinary achievement. Once you strip away the desire to fit in, you clear the runway to finally launch into your true potential.