C O M P A R I S O N S . . .Most people compare to some degree (I know I do). Comparing is good when it helps you to focus or brings out your competitive streak, however, comparing yourself unfavourably to others can have a detrimental effect on your confidence, self esteem and self-efficacy.
Picture the scene:
You're at the gym pushing hard. You feel great at the end of your workout until you start comparing notes with your training buddy, they've smashed a whole load of new PBs and are feeling pumped.
Even though you showed up, gave your all and did the best that YOU could, you can't help feeling a little deflated by their superior performance. A little healthy competition between training buddies is good, getting eaten up by what others are achieving and worrying you’ll never match up is not so good, see?
3 reasons not to compare yourself to others....
You see the result, not the effort.
When you look at someone else’s success, you only see the result. You may be looking at years of effort, comparing your beginnings to their end.
You are not them.
Comparing yourself to others means you compare what you see in others to what you know about yourself. Things always look better from the outside than they do from the inside. People often put up a good front, making themselves look better to the world than they feel inside. You have no real idea about how they feel inside.
You waste time.
Comparing yourself to others takes time. Our time is limited. There are only so many hours in a day. Why worry about what others have or have done when you can be taking action to make improvements to yourself?
Take home point?
Comparing is a waste of time. spend that time bettering yourself.
A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just BLOOMS.
Sarah x