Comparing Yourself To Others? Nah … Get Your Own Life

Comparison is the thief of joy. —Theodore Roosevelt

It’s all too easy to spend much of our time keeping track of what other people are up to, seeing their (apparent) happy and productive lives, measuring against our own, and finding ourselves wanting. Failing, even.

What a waste of time (and energy).

The tendency to compare ourselves to others is as human as any other emotion. Certainly I’m not alone in my experience. But it is a decision that only steals joy from our lives. And it is a habit with numerous shortcomings:

1. Comparisons are always unfair. We typically compare the worst we know of ourselves to the best we presume about others.
2. Comparisons, by definition, require metrics. But only a fool believes every good thing can be counted (or measured).
3. Comparisons rob us of precious time. We each get 86,400 seconds each day. And using even one to compare yourself or your accomplishments to another is one second too many.
4. You are too unique to compare fairly. Your gifts and talents and successes and contributions and value are entirely unique to you and your purpose in this world. They can never be properly compared to anyone else.
5. You have nothing to gain, but much to lose. For example: your pride, your dignity, your drive, and your passion.
6. There is no end to the possible number of comparisons. The habit can never be overcome by attaining success. There will also be something—or someone—else to focus on.
7. Comparison puts focus on the wrong person. You can control one life—yours. But when we constantly compare ourselves to others, we waste precious energy focusing on other peoples’ lives rather than our own.
8. Comparisons often result in resentment. Resentment towards others and towards ourselves.
9. Comparisons deprive us of joy. They add no value, meaning, or fulfillment to our lives. They only distract from it.

If you stop comparing yourself to others you’ll:

1. begin to discover what’s truly important to you.
2. have more time and energy to devote to your own creative journey.
3. feel FAR better about yourself.
4. suffer far less from those energy draining feelings of jealousy and inadequacy
5. be able to be inspired by others’ work rather than dragged down by it

With so many negative effects inherent in comparison, it is a shame we ever take part in it. But the struggle is real for most of us. Fortunately, it does not need to be. And the freedom found in comparing less is entirely worth the effort.