I know an amazing looking lady and when she walks in a room, she’s always the best looking in the group…..are at least very close anyway. I know a guy, he’s got the nicest and biggest arms I’ve seen for a long way around. When he walks in a room, he’s got the nicest and biggest arms by far……..but how about if this same guy walked into the room with the nicest arms plus sporting the nicest car, having the most vibrant health, being an accomplished author, was known as a world famous public speaker and flashing an equal for his romantic partner? Well, it’s the same reaction you’d get from that amazing looking lady if she happened to stack her awesomeness skyward on multiple levels. The reaction most people have to being amazing on multiple fronts is often pure and utter terror.

In our society, we live by the curse of one. One job, one career, one field of study, one area of expertise, one source of income, one political party, one way to get to work, one belief system, one romantic partner, one talent, one point of view etc etc. The way our society is designed, it’s all about getting the green light to be completely superior in one area………but of course not in any others. Good at one thing gets you all the support. Good at many things and people start throwing the rotten tomatoes. But is this a good enough reason for you to trim your own tall poppies ……so underachievers like you better? Many people underachieve purposely today as to not offend the tribe but in the end….it’s a recipe for self inflicted depression, sorrow, addiction and despair. Rhis is why subconsciously most people today can’t become amazing on many different levels, even though we’re all completely capable of walking into a room healthy, wealthy, happy and super intelligent. The guy with the biggest arms underachieves purposely in many other areas of his life because having the biggest arms is all the society will permit him to have…..without attacking him. If he was the guy with the nicest arms and was also the healthiest, wealthiest, happiest and smartest guy in the room……..he wouldn’t really be as readily accepted by a tribe.

Our society will only allow one area of superior achievement, if that. In a society of mediocrity, where most folks drive toward addiction, vicitim hood and perpetual stinkin thinkin……the guy with the biggest arms considers himself lucky that his inverted culture allows him to have the nicest arms, without the underachieving hoards attacking him. Our society is all about mediocrity, a massive fear of success and constantly finding different ways to stay low, average and messy. In the end, the truth is you can excel on many levels….all at the same time. I call this the Tom Brady Effect. When Tom Brady walks in a room, he’s the best on every level……..and although he could make more friends and receive less negative gossip from Karen and Kevin Coffee Shop if he played small in life…….he decided to be his best self anyway. And that can be you, if you would just develop the courage to overcome this very common form of self sabotage, known as “Trimming Your Own Tall Poppies”. Grow all your poppies tall, not just one.