Mediocre on Purpose

By Tony Hicks

"Mediocre on Purpose" is a satirical yet heartwarming story about Brian Teller, an unremarkable man who decides to stop chasing success, ambition, and self-improvement. Exhausted by modern hustle culture and the endless pursuit of "more," Brian intentionally embraces mediocrity-doing just enough at work, loving imperfectly, and living life without urgency or optimization. His lifestyle, meant as a quiet personal rebellion, inadvertently captures the public imagination, turning him into an unwilling symbol of a cultural shift.

As Brian's blog and minimalist philosophy go viral, he becomes a reluctant icon-a so-called "mediocre messiah"-inspiring millions to step back from burnout and embrace being okay with simply being okay. His followers, dubbed the Cult of Okay, celebrate his approach to life, but Brian struggles with the irony of becoming famous for rejecting fame. He faces media attention, public misinterpretation, backlash from the productivity-obsessed world, and the pressure of being turned into a brand. Throughout it all, he maintains his commitment to living small, quietly resisting attempts to turn his message into a movement.

In the end, Brian retires not just from public life but from relevance itself. He steps away from the spotlight, choosing a peaceful, anonymous existence filled with toast, naps, and unremarkable joys. His message, however, lives on-not as a brand or lifestyle trend, but as a quiet reminder that worth isn't measured by productivity, and that a life doesn't need to be extraordinary to be meaningful. Mediocre on Purpose is ultimately a meditation on slowing down, letting go, and finding freedom in the middle.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FLQCTXHV
• ISBN13: 9798297051744
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"