The only person you should try to beat is the person you were yesterday.
Hi friends,
Much of the Coaching I do these days has to do with the title of this article. Most of us, at some time or another, have compared ourselves to someone else. I know I have done this many times in the past.
Comparing ourselves is a natural human tendency. We compare ourselves to our peers, colleagues, friends, and even idols. But when we compare ourselves to others, it can often lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. We start to think that we’re not good enough, that we’ll never measure up.
But what if we stopped comparing ourselves to others altogether? What if we only compare ourselves to ourselves? What if we only tried to be better than the person we were yesterday?
On January the first of last year, 2022, I decided to keep a journal beside my bed. Each night I would open it, write the date, and then think about the day I had just lived. I would ask myself what I did well and what I could have done better, what I needed to learn, and then I would write my answers down. I kept this journal going for nine months. Looking back over what I had written, I discovered two things…
I had stopped comparing myself with others.
I felt confident.
Focusing on personal growth and development makes us less likely to feel bad about ourselves. We’re more likely to feel motivated and inspired to keep moving forward.
Of course, it can be challenging to stop comparing ourselves to others. We’re constantly bombarded with images and messages that tell us we should look, act, and be a certain way. But it’s important to remember that these images and messages often need to be more realistic and attainable.
The next time you compare yourself to someone else, take a step back and remind yourself of your own strengths and accomplishments. Think about how far you’ve come in the past year, month, or even in the past day, and then commit yourself to becoming a better person than you were yesterday.
Here are a few tips for stopping the comparison and instead focusing on your own personal growth:
Set realistic goals. Please don’t compare yourself to someone years ahead of you in their journey. Instead, set goals that are achievable for you in the present moment.
Focus on your strengths. Everyone has unique strengths and talents. Take some time to identify your strengths and celebrate them.
Be kind to yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up when you don’t meet your expectations. Instead, learn from your mistakes and move on.
Celebrate your progress. Celebrating your accomplishments is essential, no matter how small they may seem. This will help you to stay motivated and focused on your goals.
Remember, the only person you should try to beat is the person you were yesterday. Focusing on your own personal growth and development will surprise you by how far you can go.
Make it a great day.
Chat soon,
Murray
