--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing worse than being…" description: "\"There is nothing worse than being mediocre at a whole bunch of different things.\" — Stephen A. Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/stephen-a-smith-7133_being_there-is-nothing-worse-than-being-medioc_698502.jpg" --- # There is nothing worse than being mediocre at a whole… ![“There is nothing worse than being mediocre at a whole bunch of different things.” quote by Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/stephen-a-smith-7133_being_there-is-nothing-worse-than-being-medioc_698502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/stephen-a-smith-7133_being_there-is-nothing-worse-than-being-medioc_698502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/stephen-a-smith-7133_being_there-is-nothing-worse-than-being-medioc_698502.jpg) > “There is nothing worse than being mediocre at a whole bunch of different things.” [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being average at many tasks prevents mastery and satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Mediocrity spreads thin across many activities. Key Takeaway Focus on depth over breadth. Themes mediocrity focus mastery Mood reflective critical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career planning - skill development - education choices - project management Key Concepts specialization trade‑offs efficiency Questions to Reflect On - What single skill could you deepen now? - How does spreading yourself thin affect confidence? A Different Perspective Depth requires time, which may limit variety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Different things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-things/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Mediocre Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-bunch-5535230/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Worse Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-mediocre-3128798/) ## Related quotes > [It is so much worse to be a mediocre artist than to be a mediocre post-office clerk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-bing/it-is-so-much-worse-to-be-a-mediocre-artist-than-to-be-a-mediocre/) [Rudolf Bing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-bing/) > [“Excellence is making a rubber shoe initially; later making a leather shoe; then later making a leather shoe with gold medal on top and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/excellence-is-making-a-rubber-shoe-initially-later-making-a-leather/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [To the mediocre, mediocrity is a form of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-the-mediocre-mediocrity-is-a-form-of-happiness/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Mediocrity is a pit that swallows people who have rested on seats of complacency for long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/mediocrity-is-a-pit-that-swallows-people-who-have-rested-on-seats-of/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [When something is just bad, it's often because it is too mediocre in its ambition. The artist hasn't attempted to do anything really outlandish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/when-something-is-just-bad-it-s-often-because-it-is-too-mediocre-in/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“Only the mediocre artist is always at his best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-banis/only-the-mediocre-artist-is-always-at-his-best/) [Victor J. Banis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-banis/) > [“To simply survive appears to be the choice of the plodding hoards that wander all around me. Therefore, I’ve adamantly committed to never hoard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-simply-survive-appears-to-be-the-choice-of-the-plodding-hoards/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Retaliation retards your excellence. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-all-have-a-vast-number-of-areas-in-which-we-have-no-talent-or/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“Too often, we put up with mediocrity, telling ourselves that later in life we’ll do what we want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/too-often-we-put-up-with-mediocrity-telling-ourselves-that-later-in/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [“To become a better you, admit that you were not born for the floor. Refuse to embrace mediocrity anytime anywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/to-become-a-better-you-admit-that-you-were-not-born-for-the-floor/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A good mathematical joke is better, and better mathematics, than a dozen mediocre papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/a-good-mathematical-joke-is-better-and-better-mathematics-than-a/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [“If you stay passionate and committed, mediocrity will never be eager to befriend you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-stay-passionate-and-committed-mediocrity-will-never-be-eager/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Philadelphians are every whit as mediocre as their neighbors, but they seldom encourage each other in mediocrity by giving it a more agreeable name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/philadelphians-are-every-whit-as-mediocre-as-their-neighbors-but-they/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) ## More by Stephen A. Smith > [You can criticize me. You can crucify me. You can love me. You can hate me. Just don't make the mistake of calling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/you-can-criticize-me-you-can-crucify-me-you-can-love-me-you-can-hate/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [There's nothing about Tony Romo that deserves to be associated with America's Team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/there-s-nothing-about-tony-romo-that-deserves-to-be-associated-with/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [When I was at the 'Philadelphia Inquirer,' I was promoted nine times in my first 13 years. I ultimately went from general assignment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/when-i-was-at-the-philadelphia-inquirer-i-was-promoted-nine-times-in/) [Stephen A. 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When I'm on the air I am fully aware that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/i-m-not-just-a-black-man-i-m-a-brotha-i-love-my-people-when-i-m-on/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [Maybe, instead of putting our standards on other people, we should be very reticent, apprehensive, and deliberate and methodical in choosing whom we choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/maybe-instead-of-putting-our-standards-on-other-people-we-should-be/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [Don't fake what you feel. I've never been about that. I never will be about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/don-t-fake-what-you-feel-i-ve-never-been-about-that-i-never-will-be/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [There are many dimensions to Stephen A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/there-are-many-dimensions-to-stephen-a/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [I know what I know, and what I don't know, I'm willing to admit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/i-know-what-i-know-and-what-i-don-t-know-i-m-willing-to-admit/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [If you are the president of the United States of America, you are 70 years of age, and you are tweeting - literally competing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/if-you-are-the-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-you-are-70/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [A season is not made in a week or two any more than a stellar game epitomizes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/a-season-is-not-made-in-a-week-or-two-any-more-than-a-stellar-game/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [I don't consider myself just a black man. I consider myself a brotha. I love my people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/i-don-t-consider-myself-just-a-black-man-i-consider-myself-a-brotha-i/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [If you are in the world of business, that means you are in the business of making money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/if-you-are-in-the-world-of-business-that-means-you-are-in-the/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) [Explore all 93 Stephen A. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) ## More Being quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. 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