--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing scarier than a mediocre…" description: "\"There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission.\" — Joel Achenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png" --- # There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission. ![“There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission.” quote by Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png) > “There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission.” [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mediocre person with a strong purpose can become dangerously effective. **In simple terms:** Mediocre people with missions can be scary. Key Takeaway Beware blind ambition without competence. Themes ambition mediocrity danger Mood cautionary analytical Type social political When to use this quote - career advancement - political movements - social activism Key Concepts leadership motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess competence behind a mission? - What safeguards prevent dangerous zeal? A Different Perspective Mission without skill can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) ## Related quotes > [A mediocre man copying nature will never produce a work of art, because he really looks without seeing, and though he may have noted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/a-mediocre-man-copying-nature-will-never-produce-a-work-of-art/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [I'd like to get to the point where I can be just as mediocre as a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-like-to-get-to-the-point-where-i-can-be-just-as-mediocre-as-a-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm just a man on a mission, to prove my disability hasn't won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hensel/i-m-just-a-man-on-a-mission-to-prove-my-disability-hasn-t-won/) [Robert M. Hensel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hensel/) > [Each man has a mission in life, which is the result of all his infinite past Karma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/each-man-has-a-mission-in-life-which-is-the-result-of-all-his/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“He was a mediocre man. He had led a mediocre life exceptional only in the magnitude of its unexceptionality. Now the world was mediocre,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead-zone-one/he-was-a-mediocre-man-he-had-led-a-mediocre-life-exceptional-only-in/) Colson Whitehead Zone One > [We'll only really know we've succeeded when a mediocre woman does as well as a mediocre man. You shouldn't have to be extraordinary. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/we-ll-only-really-know-we-ve-succeeded-when-a-mediocre-woman-does-as/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Your scorn for mediocrity blinds you to its vast primitive power. You stand in the glare of your own brilliance, unable to see into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevanian/your-scorn-for-mediocrity-blinds-you-to-its-vast-primitive-power-you/) [Trevanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevanian/) > [I'm a man on a mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaru-usman/i-m-a-man-on-a-mission/) [Kamaru Usman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaru-usman/) > [A man with money is no match against a man on a mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doyle-brunson/a-man-with-money-is-no-match-against-a-man-on-a-mission/) [Doyle Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doyle-brunson/) > [“A man with money is no match against a man on a mission. After all, money can’t buy you immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/a-man-with-money-is-no-match-against-a-man-on-a-mission-after-all/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“I’m now a man on a mission. It’s time to engage in some reckless, inappropriate behavior with a hot slut.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-grey/i-m-now-a-man-on-a-mission-it-s-time-to-engage-in-some-reckless/) [Kendall Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-grey/) > [I believe I am world class and it is only a matter of time before I am up there with the big names. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dubois/i-believe-i-am-world-class-and-it-is-only-a-matter-of-time-before-i/) [Daniel Dubois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dubois/) > [A man on a mission is far different from a drone on a deadline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rheta-grimsley-johnson/a-man-on-a-mission-is-far-different-from-a-drone-on-a-deadline/) Rheta Grimsley Johnson > [Every man has a mission from God to help his fellow beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gibbons/every-man-has-a-mission-from-god-to-help-his-fellow-beings/) [James Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gibbons/) > [“every man has his mission, which is to leave the world better, in some way, than he found it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/every-man-has-his-mission-which-is-to-leave-the-world-better-in-some/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) ## More by Joel Achenbach > [The Enron scandal calls into question the integrity of the entire capitalist system, which previously we assumed was based on honest, straightforward greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/the-enron-scandal-calls-into-question-the-integrity-of-the-entire/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [“But perhaps we see a different set of sins in our own time: a reluctance to take on any new Great National Projects, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/but-perhaps-we-see-a-different-set-of-sins-in-our-own-time-a/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [It depends on your specific conception of God, because belief can equally well leave you with this constant sense that you're coming up short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/it-depends-on-your-specific-conception-of-god-because-belief-can/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Right-thinking people are not supposed to discuss any meteorological or geophysical event - a hurricane, a wildfire, a heat wave, a drought, a flood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/right-thinking-people-are-not-supposed-to-discuss-any-meteorological/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [“Geologists think the mountains were formed by several distinct tectonic events over the course of 500 million years, a span of time that represents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/geologists-think-the-mountains-were-formed-by-several-distinct/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Coffee is one of the special things I have, instead of a social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/coffee-is-one-of-the-special-things-i-have-instead-of-a-social-life/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Most geniuses are just talented people who get up really early in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/most-geniuses-are-just-talented-people-who-get-up-really-early-in-the/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Uncertainty is inevitable at the frontiers of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/uncertainty-is-inevitable-at-the-frontiers-of-knowledge/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [You might declare that global warming and energy insecurity, not to mention urban sprawl and pollution, have intensified the sin of indulging one's motoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/you-might-declare-that-global-warming-and-energy-insecurity-not-to/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Lobbyists know that a 0 percent tax rate on capital income is not, in fact, the lowest possible rate. There can be negative tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/lobbyists-know-that-a-0-percent-tax-rate-on-capital-income-is-not-in/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Girls were nice to me in the same way that they would be nice to a hamster. I fantasized about wild encounters with females…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/girls-were-nice-to-me-in-the-same-way-that-they-would-be-nice-to-a/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Never has good weather felt so bad. Never have flowers inspired so much fear. Never has the warm caress of a sunbeam seemed so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/never-has-good-weather-felt-so-bad-never-have-flowers-inspired-so/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [Characters last. Beautiful writing lasts. A compelling narrative lasts. Art survives long after ideas go extinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/characters-last-beautiful-writing-lasts-a-compelling-narrative-lasts/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) [Explore all 14 Joel Achenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Achenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre-man-with-a-mission/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre-man-with-a-mission/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/joel-achenbach-33902_goals_there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre_1398388.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is nothing scarier than a mediocre man with a mission.” — Joel Achenbach", "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": "Joel Achenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is nothing scarier than a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre-man-with-a-mission/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/there-is-nothing-scarier-than-a-mediocre-man-with-a-mission/#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 } } ] } ```