--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We often reward mediocrity because it is…" description: "\"We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If they can do it, anyone can do it.\" — Jessica Zafra" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png" --- # We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If… ![“We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If they can do it, anyone can do it.” quote by Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png) > “We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If they can do it, anyone can do it.” [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often celebrates average performance because it feels safe, discouraging excellence. **In simple terms:** Comfort fuels mediocrity. Key Takeaway Challenge the status quo. Themes social pressure mediocrity comfort zones excellence Mood critical observational Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace reviews - academic grading - creative projects Key Concepts conformity motivation Questions to Reflect On - Why do we accept mediocrity? - What drives people to pursue excellence? A Different Perspective The quote overlooks that some mediocrity can be functional or necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comforting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforting/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-think-the-reward-for-conformity-is-that-everyone-likes-you-except/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [Man, being essentially active, must find in activity his joy, as well as his beauty and glory; and labor, like every thing else that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-benjamin-whipple/man-being-essentially-active-must-find-in-activity-his-joy-as-well-as/) Henry Benjamin Whipple > [Achievement is its own reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/achievement-is-its-own-reward/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [If you want the most reward you have to take the most risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-itzler/if-you-want-the-most-reward-you-have-to-take-the-most-risk/) [Jesse Itzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-itzler/) > [The work itself is the reward, and if I choose challenging work, it'll pay me back with interest. At least I'll be interested, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/the-work-itself-is-the-reward-and-if-i-choose-challenging-work-it-ll/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [People think that if a man has undergone any hardship, he should have a reward; but for my part, if I have done the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/people-think-that-if-a-man-has-undergone-any-hardship-he-should-have/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [The reward of patience Is patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-reward-of-patience-is-patience/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Happiness is the reward of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-is-the-reward-of-virtue/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Everybody loves to spend money at least some of the time - because everybody loves the stuff you can buy with it. The key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/everybody-loves-to-spend-money-at-least-some-of-the-time-because/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light...We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-can-find-meaning-and-reward-by-serving-some-higher-purpose-than/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Do not expect human beings to reward you, don't even think about it, just LOVE, because you know at the end of the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/do-not-expect-human-beings-to-reward-you-don-t-even-think-about-it/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [The reward is in doing, but doing without expecting anything...doing unselfishly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-reward-is-in-doing-but-doing-without-expecting-anything-doing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I'm working on something and I get to the point where I feel it getting interesting, that's my reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-peter-lindstr-m/when-i-m-working-on-something-and-i-get-to-the-point-where-i-feel-it/) [Hans-Peter Lindstrøm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-peter-lindstr-m/) ## More by Jessica Zafra > [“We like to think that all people have hidden depths, but the fact is that a lot of people are shallow. The vast majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/we-like-to-think-that-all-people-have-hidden-depths-but-the-fact-is/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [What we call the wisdom that comes with age is usually simple caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/what-we-call-the-wisdom-that-comes-with-age-is-usually-simple-caution/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“The more "normal" the person seems, the sicker she probably is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/the-more-normal-the-person-seems-the-sicker-she-probably-is/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [That's the thing about a great book. Every time you read it, it's different, because you're different. You've changed since the last time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/that-s-the-thing-about-a-great-book-every-time-you-read-it-it-s/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [I hear what many of you are saying: We don’t have the time, we are busy. Well Nobody Has Time, Everyone Is Busy. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/i-hear-what-many-of-you-are-saying-we-don-t-have-the-time-we-are-busy/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“My Macbook is my new boyfriend, except that he's dependable and meets all my demands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/my-macbook-is-my-new-boyfriend-except-that-he-s-dependable-and-meets/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“Marriage is a contract. Love is non-negotiable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/marriage-is-a-contract-love-is-non-negotiable/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [You can not make someone love you. You can not be thin enough or white enough or famous enough. The choice is entirely the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/you-can-not-make-someone-love-you-you-can-not-be-thin-enough-or-white/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [Life is a series of random collisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/life-is-a-series-of-random-collisions/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“The truth is, the more one knows about Art, the more one values Entertainment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/the-truth-is-the-more-one-knows-about-art-the-more-one-values/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [One of the advantages of having an imaginary boyfriend is that he exists only for you, therefore he can not be stolen. The disadvantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/one-of-the-advantages-of-having-an-imaginary-boyfriend-is-that-he/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“A writer who makes serious money is never taken seriously. Writers and artists are expected to suffer poverty and privation for their art; it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/a-writer-who-makes-serious-money-is-never-taken-seriously-writers-and/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [While being madly in love is fun, perhaps one should aspire to be sanely in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/while-being-madly-in-love-is-fun-perhaps-one-should-aspire-to-be/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [To live intensely is a basic human necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/to-live-intensely-is-a-basic-human-necessity/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [“My emotional range is limited. I can’t do grief, but rage is my friend. For instance, I hate death by sickness. It is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/my-emotional-range-is-limited-i-can-t-do-grief-but-rage-is-my-friend/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) [Explore all 74 Jessica Zafra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If they can do it, anyone can do it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jessica Zafra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is-comforting-if-they-can-do-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is-comforting-if-they-can-do-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/jessica-zafra-9251_can-do_we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is_1311189.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We often reward mediocrity because it is comforting. If they can do it, anyone can do it.” — Jessica Zafra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jessica Zafra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We often reward mediocrity because it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is-comforting-if-they-can-do-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/we-often-reward-mediocrity-because-it-is-comforting-if-they-can-do-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```