I almost feel like I don't need to write anything more than the title for this particular blog post. The complete explanation of what I'm trying to convey is wholly included within those two words. It's like saying, "fire is hot," "water is wet," or, "the final season of Game Of Thrones was fucking awful."
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of "mediocre" is "of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate." Just reading that makes me want to do some push-ups or something.
When I use the phrase "mediocre sucks," I'm speaking philosophically. I'm speaking about who you are and who you want to become. I'm saying there's always room for improvement and you always have the choice. It's an acknowledgment of your default tendency toward the unconscious acceptance of doing shit the same way you've always done it. It's an internal directive to move away from "comfortable" and towards "better." It's an attitude which says you're done settling for "ordinary or moderate quality" results, and a declaration of your intention to consciously put in a bit more than the minimum required (or desired) effort.
Please understand it is not an expectation of - or even a longing for - perfection. It's a reminder of what is available to you at any given moment, and a judgment about one of those possible choices.
Of course, you are free to make whatever judgment you like about what is acceptable to you. I've certainly seen my fair share of people who seem to believe "barely adequate" is a big enough pain in their ass as it is. The ones who cut corners because no one will find out, or who are unaware of the concept of taking pride in a job well done.
Embracing the idea that "mediocre sucks" is actually a small undertaking. It's a baby-steps kind of thing. The only thing required is a deliberate, conscious effort to do [insert task here] a bit better than you feel like doing, as if you have a bit more responsibility for doing an incredible job or are a bit more invested in how polished it turns out. Ramp up your effort by 1% in everything you do, and you'll be amazed both by how little additional effort is required and by how quickly your world changes around you.
Because at the end of the day, you don't want your work to be compared to the final season of Game Of Thrones.
