Paying a Premium for Mediocrity
Sitting at the airport in the international terminal, I found myself reflecting on something my brother-in-law said the other night over dinner. We were talking about international cuisine and how much better the food is abroad compared to back home, when he said something that really stuck with me.
He said that coming back to the U.S. and buying food here often feels like “paying a premium for mediocrity.”
I don’t disagree. The FDA allows all kinds of additives and chemicals in our food—ingredients that many other countries banned long ago. But what really struck me is how that concept applies beyond just food. It shows up everywhere—in our careers, relationships, habits, even our daily decisions.
In finance, advisors talk a lot about ROI—return on investment. It’s a simple but powerful idea: If you’re going to invest your money, time, or energy into something, you want to know what you’re getting in return. Will it yield the results you’re seeking? Or will it end up being a sunk cost—something you pour into, only to realize it never pays off?
I often encourage clients to run their own version of a cost-benefit analysis. What is this job, this relationship, this commitment really costing you—mentally, emotionally, financially? And what are you getting back?
Because sometimes, if we’re honest with ourselves, we realize we’re spending our most valuable resources—our time, our energy, our peace—for something that’s just okay. Not fulfilling. Not nourishing. Not aligned.
In other words: Are we paying a premium for mediocrity… when we actually deserve so much more?
Invest wisely,
LC
Vibe with Me LC 