Mediocrity

Did I spell that right?
I have been thinking of the pressure there is to conform within workplaces. How it is difficult to be somewhat different in your approach and do the things that you think are best practice-even though others don't practice in that way. Not that I mean to imply that I am perfect, sadly fall far short of that, but how to continue doing things in what I believe is the right way, while still maintaining a collegial relationship. This can be a difficult thing. We all want to feel like our way is the best and it is difficult to get differing opinions. I know when someone approaches me and says 'oh, have you thought of this?' or 'oops, you missed this', I feel like defending myself, even if I think, 'yeah, you're right'. Hopefully, I don't appear defensive, but pretty sure I have-it is difficult to accept that though I want to never make a mistake dealing with people's health, I'm human = human error.
All that being said, I hope that I don't become complacent and stagnant and start coming to work on autopilot-pretty sure is kiss of death for patient care.
Yet there is a human urge to stay within the safety of the pack and not do anything to stand out, good or bad. So, you don't want to screw up and be eaten by the pack of lions, but neither do you want to come up with a new way of doing something, get the rest of the herd irritated with you, reject you, and still end up being eaten by the lions. Don't know if that analogy makes total sense, but general idea is there.
Given that I am Type A personality with job performance-my internal alarm clock goes off if I act in a way that I believe to not be 'good enough'. I end up being riddled with anxiety if I do something that isn't the right/proper way. And going home feeling that I have let down my value system is a much harder thing for me than going home feeling like I have pissed someone off because I refused to do something that I feel is wrong. Hmmm, perhaps this gives me an understanding of other people's motivation? If others find more value in being part of group, and see the emotional value of belonging as more valuable than acting according to less emotional, more idea focussed value systems, then it makes sense to be a part of group as their internal anxiety will increase when not part of it, just as my internal anxiety increases when feeling like I am not living up to being good enough.