"If we live our life comparing ourselves with others, we can easily find ourselves climbing up a long ladder to the top of a building we aren't even sure we want to be on." John Izzo PhDI don't think that I'm very competitive by nature and so, while I like this quote, I was wondering if it applied to me. Do I ever work really hard to try to be good at something I don't really care much about just because I don't want to be "less than" someone else? On the other hand, do I ever not work really hard at something that I do want to become good at because I am comparing myself in advance, and the ladder seems too high, or I'm just afraid of not being able to climb as high as someone else has on that particular ladder?
I expect that I am more likely to not try something for fear of not measuring up, or at least not trying my best because then, in my mind, I can feel like I could be as good at that talent as someone else if I really wanted to try. Neither of these ways of handling life is the best! I need to decide intentionally what I want to do, and what I want to learn, and then climb whatever "ladder" is required to succeed regardless of who else is or isn't on the ladder, or how high they might have already climbed, or how likely it is that I will catch up, and even if there is a chance of falling off!
The best plan is to get on the ladder that leads where I want to go, and then focus on doing my best to climb that ladder while helping anyone else on the ladder that I can!
*Photo by Marc Schiele on Unsplash
1 comment:
I love that you pointed out that comparison isn't just trying to be like others, but what you don't do because of others. I think I'm like you. I don't really try to compare myself to others, or care that much what they think. However, I do think that sometimes I choose not to do something or help with something because someone maybe already does it. My mother-in-law once was talking about her daughters-in-law, and said, "That's the spiritual one. That's the amazing piano player...." And I felt pretty low to be honest. I have no idea what category she would have said about me. I'm pretty average at everything. But I would have thought I was both of those things. So, I'm going to ponder what ladder I can climb because I want to and I can! Hugs to you!!
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