One thing that I really struggle with is comparison, that leads to envy. I feel challenged and somehow degraded when I see someone who has what I don’t, or who can do what I can’t, or has succeeded in ways that I have not. Well not surprisingly, there’s a Jordan Peterson quote about that:
“Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.”
Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life
As per usual, he hits the nail on the head. Comparing myself to who someone else is today makes no sense.
Not only does it fail to take into account the billions of factors that make their lives and opportunities different from mine, but more importantly, when I do that, I can’t see the work that they had to put in to get to where they are.
So instead of being bent out of shape that someone has something that I don’t, I want to use that experience as a reminder to look at where I was two years ago or five years ago, and make that the scale against which I compare myself as I am now, and in the same way, I want to use where I am now as the starting point for where I want to be in the future.
My challenge to you is to do the same, and see how that can affect your mindset, and take personal growth to a whole new level.
I have never thought about self growth that way before. It really encourages you to not be discouraged. Thanks!