Never settle. It’s a phrase we’ve all heard a million times. But, what is “settling”? Settling in our careers, our relationships, our lives… Have we settled ourselves into complacency? Is “settling” for x(reality) over y(dreams) the new norm?
I think the most common form of “settling” is in terms of jobs. Not everyone can have their dream job, so we settle for something that we, ideally, don’t hate and that pays the bills. 
I would love to be able to monetize this website enough to the point where I could just write and research uncomfortable topics and help people, however I could.
But, that’s not life right now. I am applying to anything and everything that comes my way that looks even remotely close to something I could do. Maybe someday I’ll be able to take a step back, but most of the time you need a way to finance what you really enjoy 
doing.
We accept what is given to us, instead of trying to go after what we really want – well, most of us. And it’s hard to admit, right? We want to believe that we are go-getters and that we are truly doing what we love, but 90% of the time, I would guess, that’s not the case.
The other side of the sword on this would be to NOT accept a job or position that you don’t love. You hear quotes like these:
However, if we wait around for the “perfect” job, a. is it ever going to come and b. how are we going to pay our bills in the meantime? So, do we settle for “okay” or should we go for extraordinary? According to Robert Quinn:
We are deviants if we strive for excellence, because so many people settle for “ordinary” or “satisfactory“. I think where most people make the mistake though, is waiting for excellence. You cannot wait for excellence – it is never going to find you. You have to find and create your own excellence. You have to work towards excellence. So, that “perfect” job is something to strive for, but you have to work for it. Too many of us make the mistake thinking greatness is going to be handed to us at some point.
Excellence is there, we just have to take the risk(s) to achieve it… We need to step out of “ordinary” and safe, to not settle for reality instead of our dreams, to not allow complacency to become our norm.
Let’s get REAL about how we lull ourselves into settling.
Let’s get uncomfortable and start striving towards excellence, towards deviance, in a complacent world.
REAL talk with AshEvdo 