Women get a lower salary than men, people with professional experience earn more than younger people, self-employment lets one earn more than employment.

No, that’s not a study about unjust salaries, cited for the umpteenth time; but the result of a special research that recently appeared in my inbox: the average amount of the fees paid to speakers and coaches.

But tell me, why would I show any interest in this?

Are your achievements mediocre? Mine aren’t. I tend to invest more time in the preparation and follow-up work. I take more time to work out punch-lines and polish my speech. My customers can rest assured that they will experience a top performance. And it’s a lot more fun when the audience is elated and inspired instead of just applauding politely at the end of the event. Then, the customer will no longer think about having invested more in my lecture – they get what they want.

If you orient yourself on mediocricy instead, you automatically adjust to giving a medicore performance. However, this attitude doesn’t work. That way, you will avoid a big failure, but neither will it be a big success. With your monotonous lectures or coaching and the tired faces in the audience, you would eventually have less and less motivation and energy. The frustration would be mounting, though – and not just for speakers and coaches: that goes for any kind of activity. If you don’t go about it with full enthusiasm and high expectations of yourself to give an execptional performance, you’ll get bored at some point.

Here’s another thing I find interesting: That list didn’t show the top-performer-fees. And definitely no maximum, because there isn’t one. It is always possible to improve oneself. Whatever a company or customer think your lecture is worth in the end is a highly individual matter that won’t be determined until there are concrete circumstances. In principle, anything is possible.

Why do you purchase books about Oliver Kahn and Mother Teresa? They were top performers. They are role models because they gave everything. Because they always strived to set their goals higher. People, who do that can make demands while displaying a solid and superior confidence, and they will most likely achieve top-class results.

Let’s compare it to litmus paper: Once immersed in acidic liquids, it turns red right away. In chemistry, that moment when the color changes is called transition point because the blue doesn’t change to red gradually, but all at once.

This transition point will happen in your life, too, as soon as you stop orienting yourself at mediocrity. Doing so will change your entire life: Average values will become less important; reaching for the stars is the goal. You give everything – for your customers, for your family, for society, for yourself – and in doing so, you’ll get everything you desire. In the words of colleague Anthony Robbins: “Life will always give what you ask for.“

I deleted the chart and I advise you to do the same with all the average values you have on your computer and in your head. Let go of your mediocre thoughts and accomplish something great! For yourself and for others!