Comparison is a Killer

How can you compare an apple to an orange?  You can’t.  The sun to the moon? Nope.  A flower to a weed?  Definitely not.  The same goes with comparing yourself to someone else.  There’s no one in the world that’s better at being you, than you.

Of the seven billion plus people in the world no two are alike. We are all one of a kind, right down to our fingerprints.  A pretty amazing thought!

At the teenage stage of development, great importance is placed on fitting in.  It’s a time in your life when you’re discovering who you are and what your place is and, in order to be seen as one of the crowd, you may sacrifice your own values and sense of self so that your comparisons don’t make you stand out.

As we develop into adulthood we’re still growing and developing, but it’s time to use our comparisons for good, because the negative side to comparing yourself to others can be a killer to your self-esteem and self worth.

Comparing ourselves to others can serve to inspire us, or it can destroy our motivation and distract us from our own path.  When we compare, we’re comparing ourselves to our perception of what we see and, if we perceive what others are doing to be better than what we’re doing, it can cause negative beliefs about ourselves, our abilities and our achievements.  

When you’re always thinking someone’s thinner, smarter, funnier, prettier, richer or has more likes on Facebook than you, then that’s a fast-track to unhappiness and a potential nail in the coffin for your dreams.

Following your own path will lead to more fulfilment, happiness and success.

So, to prevent any ‘negative social comparison’ moments, follow these steps.

1.     Get clear on the outcomes you want for yourself.

2.     Put your blinkers on and block out the noise that will distract you from your destination. 

3.     Put your head down and bum up and get to work on taking the steps that are critical on your path to success.

If you catch yourself in a ‘negative social comparison’ state, take a look at your fingerprints as a reminder that you are unique.  All you need to do is allow yourself to shine.