We've all heard that "comparison is the death of joy". That statement is based on you comparing yourself with other people. Somebody else's successes, somebody else's things, somebody else's life. But what if you compare yourself to yourself?
Two of my favorite sports are running and golf. Both of these games are very much individual sports, where at least on an amateur level, you're just keeping score against yourself.
I'm never going to run the fastest marathon in the world. I'm not going to shoot a better golf game than Tiger Woods. And that's okay. I don't compare myself to the world's best of these sports. However, I do try to improve my skills as I continue to train my body. Overtime, I can see how my personal training is effecting my own results. I compare myself with myself.
Learning how to effectively compare yourself to yourself can be a great tool. It allows you to run your own race and set your own standards for who you want to be.
Comparing thoughtfully means taking an honest look at how you are viewing your success in life. For many people, this means to stop looking at what others are doing, and face yourself in the mirror.
Your career, relationships, health, and financial results are YOUR OWN. While it may be tempting to look at what other people are doing, it's not going to help you achieve your goals.
Comparing yourself to yourself requires that you learn how to live intentional and hold yourself accountable. Where do you want to go with your career, and how do you get there? Are you really living healthy, and what end physical result do you want? Are you financially responsible?
As you build this habit, you'll overtime reap the awesome benefits of running your own race. When you aim at something, and track your success, you're going to improve your life.
Celebrate Your Own Success – As you reach milestones in your own race, be sure to celebrate them. Even if somebody else is doing something "better", you need to acknowledge your own effort is paying off.
View Longterm Progress – Very few things in life happen overnight. View your success on a longterm scale. Be sure to log progress along the way, so that you can reflect back on how far you've come.
Be Happy For Others – When you are truly running your own race, and stop comparison living, you'll find that you genuinely become happy for others. Whether they are ahead of you, or behind you, when you are confident in yourself with where you are going, you'll be happy for others.