I am reposting this entry by
http://multiusejewelry.com/comparison-game-youll-never-win/ Stacia Jacobsen because it is EXACTLY what I deal with every day!!! I like being competitive because with that I achieve things, however, by being competitive I then compare myself with others! UGH! It is a huge balancing act!
Comparison is a terrible game, and yet we all play it. It’s hard not to. Competition can be healthy and in the right way, bring out the best in people and challenge them to do their best. Comparison, on the other hand, is a losing game for everyone because it is inherently flawed since it is based on three things:
1) Your Knowledge of Yourself – We often judge ourselves much harsher than we judge others. Trust me on this one. You are beautiful. You are awesome and don’t you DARE let anyone else tell you different, including yourself. Also you’re more than likely undervaluing yourself. Stop it.
2) Your Knowledge of the Other Person - You don’t know the other person’s story, their challenges or their path. Someone once told me if you ever find yourself envying someone else, ask yourself if you would trade everything you are and have for everything they are and have. I’ve never been able to answer that question with a yes.
3) A Part Rather Than the Whole - You’re also likely comparing a single aspect of a person rather than the whole. Your perspective is flawed and you can’t possibly see things as they really are. I’m reminded of the story of a woman who approached a master pianist after a performance. She said, “I’d give my whole life to be able to play like you.” He responded, “Madam, I have.”
Comparison will suck the wind out of your sales. It will make your accomplishments seem small, or perhaps too big. Frankly it could swing both ways on that one. Someone else’s success does not diminish your own. It doesn’t, unless you choose to see it that way.
It can also lead you to diminish the other person in order to make yourself feel better. You’ll start saying things like, “Well if I had XYZ, I could do that too.” Or, “Well, they got lucky.” Or any number of qualifiers. Don’t do that. You’re better than that.
It could also give you a false sense of pride, which is never good. Usually that comes right before a fall. As clumsy as I am, I’d rather not set myself up for a fall.
The point is that comparison is destructive and it is ALWAYS a losing game. Have the good sense to avoid that pitfall. Choose instead to focus on you, your path and your accomplishments. The more you do that, the better you’ll be and frankly, the better we’ll all be.
If you must compare, look at your own progression. Look at your own best self and let that be the bar each time. Each time you strive for greatness or accomplishment, look at how far you’ve come and be proud of that. You should be. You’ve earned it.
