The Dilemma: I Can Always Aim For The Sky But I Am Happiest On The Ground. Is Satisfaction An Enabler Of Mediocrity?

At the top of Panimahawa Ridge. 

Going places with greener pastures or achieving more in an individual's career path does not solely depend on his skills and capabilities. Often than not, it is with his willingness. No matter how many plethora of opportunities come crashing along an individual's path, or regardless of how capable, skilled and equipped with all available resources one is, if his heart is not fully committed to enjoying the waves because he would rather collect shells at the shore, then it is sensible enough to say that there is a greater degree of valued importance and joy that one finds in simpler things, or in low-income neighborhood, or preferring to live on rough grounds when the sky has spared an oasis for you. 

Imagine:

A skilled cook who possess all needed credentials to work in a 5-star Hotel in New York but would rather cook at a Diner restaurant in Iowa. 

A local band gradually known nationwide for making great unique music and was later offered promotional  tour in the entire country, but politely refused with complete disregard of all the massive opportunities, as they would opt to play their art for the preservation of customs and beliefs of their native land. 

A registered nurse in a third world country who can always fly overseas for a wide array of benefits, exponentially higher income and a better experience only the foreign land can provide. BUT would rather not do so as she is profoundly satisfied with her current living. 

Are these types of individuals falling in the brink of mediocrity? Do career satisfaction entail plain satisfaction at all cost or just satisfaction secondary to sloth leading to mediocrity?

Some career oriented individuals chose to be in the same setting for the long run albeit all the odds of greater opportunities elsewhere. Thoughts of "fear outside comfort zones" and yep, "mediocrity" may initially appear as the reason until someone tries to understand these people by seeing things from their point of view and take it from there. Often, you'll find that amass of passion in all aspects have been accumulated in the process of working which eventually springs satisfaction further leading to the decision of honing their craft and skills to where they are currently planted. Another angle apparent is genuine happiness and satisfaction in the present life that revolves around them halting the need for wanting more. 

People can always achieve more, should they want to achieve more. But that's not always the case. There are people who are genuinely happy with less and does not wish to have more. Take into account career endeavors, many people seek to attain more in their respective fields, and it's highly commendable. There are also people who found utter satisfaction in the current state of their line of work and choose to stay there. Some people may perceive that they have not fully played to their abililties, but to the ones who actually employed effort, they have achieved much in the little they have. And there are several ways to apply commendable, efficient, innovative and excellent work even if you have been in the same work place and setting for years. The learning never ceases. 

Tackling the inevitable, there are also people who are satisfied enough with how things are running that they play round the circle of their mediocrity and never wish to go beyond it and explore more and do more. But then again, to each his own. 

Whatever underlying reasons there may be, people have varying, unique experiences as to what might have brought sheer satisfaction to make them stay in their lane when another lane offers more. This however does not directly and generally imply that these people who opt to stand on the same ground are products of mediocrity just on the grounds of satisfaction per se.