transcend mediocrity

originality and complexity are not paramount - eschew any attempts to suggest otherwise. assume the american retail consumer adage that 'the customer is always right' applies to architecture and design - the client should almost always get what they want (although perhaps not when it is bad for them or is not appropriate). To clarify, we should not forget that we are working for them - they don't work for us - thus we should always design with the client's interest in mind. All to often we as designers do things which fancy us, and our actions may not always be referenced back to the client and the appropriateness of our design to their interests and goals.

transcending our own laziness and frustrations with the built-in restriaint mechanisms of architecture and construction in our society, we can and will produce better design and better environments.

just don't put up with it - there is no excuse to put up with bad design or bad instructions or bad performances from anyone or anywhere that you are not comfortable with. this is not to say that we should be aggressive or non-assertive at the expense of good work and appropriate relations - rejecting mediocrity should be assertive yet tempered with appropriateness as well.