10 Times When You Don’t Want to Be in the Top 10%

It is an unfortunate fact that people compare themselves to others. Start early at school; we all compare grades with our friends. It continues throughout life as people compare their status and quality of life. Everyone wants to be on top, right?

When it comes to many things, like income, fitness, IQ, and more, most of us would love to be in the top ten percent. However, there are times when having more (or being on top) is much worse. Below we’ll list ten times when you don’t want to be in the top ten percent.

Related: 10 Famous Tech CEOs You Don’t Want To Work For

10 food waste

For the good of all of us, we must limit food waste. Billions of tons of food are wasted every year around the world. While it has often been believed that food waste is a bigger problem in wealthier countries, estimates show that the problem is prevalent in developing countries as well. Although China and India produce the largest amount of household food waste each year, the average volume produced per capita in these countries is less than 154 pounds (70 kilograms). By comparison, people in Australia produce an average of 225 pounds (102 kilograms) of food waste each year.

None of us want to be in the top ten percent of food waste as individuals. However, on a larger scale, 40% of the food produced in the United States is never eaten. This equates to a whopping 365 million pounds (165 million kilograms) of food wasted each day! But the problem is not irremediable. There are things you can do to limit the amount of food you throw out at the end of the week, including:

• Buy only what you need, even if it means shopping every two or three days
• Choose “ugly” fruits and vegetables; don’t judge food by its appearance; everything tastes the same
• Love your leftovers: if you don’t like leftovers, make smaller meals to reduce waste
• Compost food scraps – contact a community garden if you can’t use them yourself
• Donate food that would otherwise go to waste: Local food banks or organizations can help identify who would benefit from your donation.

9 drinking habits

Within reason, drinking alcohol can be a fairly harmless habit. However, when alcohol consumption reaches “top ten” levels, it is a major cause for concern. Drinking habits vary widely based on several factors.

According the washington post, 30% of American adults do not drink alcohol, usually for religious or health reasons. The publication indicates that drinking just one glass of wine per night makes you part of the top thirty percent of American drinkers.

But this list is not about the top thirty percent but the top ten! The top 10% of drinkers average 74 drinks a week, or more than 10 drinks a day. The risks associated with alcohol consumption are generally well known, including alcohol poisoning, fetal alcohol syndrome, and an increased tendency to violence.

Long-term health risks of excessive alcohol use include a weakened immune system, various types of cancer, depression, high blood pressure, and alcohol dependence. Occasional drinking is a small health risk for most people, but you certainly don’t want to be a top ten drinker.

8 Weight

How much is too much of a good thing? The example that comes to mind for many of us is food. Of course we have to eat! But it is equally important to maintain a balanced diet and exercise consistently. This is how you maintain a healthy weight. Overeating and binge eating can lead to excessive weight gain.

Vanity aside, there are many health reasons why you want to avoid the top 10% of total weight. the cdc points out a variety of symptoms and side effects associated with obesity. These include:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Body ache
• Cancer
• gallbladder disease

It is important to maintain overall fitness levels and weight. However, being at the lower end of the weight is also dangerous. When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, moderation and discipline are key.

7 Working hours

Having a lucrative job and a good work ethic can be a great benefit to your life. However, it is important to consider your priorities when it comes to your time. The “get up and move” mentality has been instilled in many of us since we were born. In all likelihood, you don’t want to be in the top 10% of weekly work hours. Excessive working hours can have effects on health, mainly due to stress and lack of sleep. Excessive working hours can also strain social and family relationships.

There is no question that a stable income is a priority, especially if you are supporting a family. Working overtime, getting to work early, and staying late are incredibly common. When you think about working too hard, consider your health and your relationship with your family and friends. No matter how many hours a week you work, you only have one life to live.

6 golf scores

Golf is a popular sport, and many people play golf casually in weekly or monthly games. In golf, the goal is to complete the round in as few strokes as possible. Many casual golfers don’t even keep track.

An 18-hole course is usually a par 72, where par is the average number of shots taken. For example, a “par 3” is expected to take 3 shots to complete. However, golf is very difficult, especially for people who don’t play regularly. Courses often keep records of their official scores. When it comes to these golf scores, you definitely don’t want to be in the top 10% of shots! Maybe he’ll spend more time on the driving range before his next round.

5 number of friends

Making friends is a positive thing. Developing friendships can help your mental health by giving you a community you can trust. However, in the social media age we live in, sometimes a friend is just a number on your Facebook page. According to Dr. Mary Kempnich, humans typically have the capacity for only 150 relationships. This probably seemed like a long time before we all started connecting to the Internet! Now, many of us have more than 150 “friends” online.

While being friendly is generally a good thing, there isn’t much of you to go around. Kempnich explains that 60 percent of our social efforts are spent with just (about) 15 people. Having “too many” friends online can lead to feelings of isolation, narcissism, and even low self-esteem. Of course, having close friends and relationships is important, but don’t overextend yourself!

4 Blood pressure

Sometimes called “the silent killer,” high blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause significant health problems. the mayo clinic says high blood pressure can cause headaches, shortness of breath, and even nosebleeds. “The silent killer” often goes undetected and untreated.

The Mayo Clinic divides blood pressure into four basic categories:

• Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less
• Elevated blood pressure is 120-129, and the bottom number is 80 or less
• Stage 1 hypertension is 130-139, with the bottom number between 80-89
• Stage 2 hypertension is 140 or higher, with the bottom number being 90 or higher

The top 10% of blood pressure falls within the range of stage 2 hypertension. It is essential to monitor your blood pressure to ensure that it is within a healthy range. If your blood pressure is not in a normal range, make an appointment with a doctor. This is certainly a time when being in the top ten percent is bad (and can even be fatal).

3 Debt

As the saying goes, two things are certain: death and taxes. Or is it debt and taxes? Debt surely seems inevitable to us at some points. It is important to manage your debt by prioritizing the highest interest payments. People commonly experience debt from buying a car or home, student loans, or medical bills.

According debt.orgthe average amount of debt faced by the different generations (in 2020) was as follows:

• The silent generation (75 and older) had an average debt of just over $40,000.
• Baby boomers (ages 56 to 74) had an average debt of more than $97,000.
• Generation X (ages 40-55) was the most in debt of any group, at more than $140,000 per person.
• Millennials (ages 24-39) faced an average debt of $87,448.
• Generation Z (ages 18-23) have an average debt of $16,043.

When it comes to debt, less is definitely more. This is one area where being below average is definitely a good thing.

2 Mortgage interest rate

Mortgages are a major monthly expense for millions of people in the United States. If you have a mortgage, you definitely want to get the lowest possible rate. Those in the top ten percent of highest interest rates will end up owing thousands more in interest in the future.

It’s true that you probably have little control over the interest rate when you buy a home. However, it is important to monitor federal interest rates. You can refinance to a lower mortgage rate when interest rates drop below your current rate. This is another example of when it would be much better to be in the bottom ten percent.

1 Height

Being tall can definitely be an advantage in some situations. Need something reached on a high shelf? Do you need an extra player for your basketball team? Need someone to see over a crowd to figure out what’s going on? In any of these cases, you would be happy to be tall or at least have a tall friend. However, those in the top 10% of average height (over 6 feet, 2 inches) also have to deal with some significant drawbacks.

You may not want to be excessively tall when:

• Clothes shopping: It can be extremely difficult to find clothes that fit you if you are very tall.
• Walking into the rooms: If you’re not tall, you probably won’t relate to this at all! Most door frames are between 6 and 7 feet, although many are smaller. For especially tall people, this may mean crouching down every time they enter a room.
• Getting into small cars: Have you ever ridden in the back seat of a two-door car? It’s uncomfortable no matter what your size. It can be torture (and sometimes just impossible) when dealing with very tall people.

Another drawback of extreme height is the increased chance of joint and back pain. Very tall people also have shorter lifespans than their average (and short) counterparts.