Most of the horses in horse racing don't win the big stakes by much more than a nose.  

Sprinters win by fractions of seconds. The same with swimmers. Cyclists win by a hair's breadth. Many football games are won by only one goal - just a flick or a kick or a nudge of the ball a couple of degrees either way will make the difference between the championship and losing.

You see, you don't have to be brilliant. Just give life a good shot and it will make a huge difference because so many others don't give a damn. You will stand out in a crowd because for most people being average is an effort but being a bit above average is not an impossible task.