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Is Comparison Really The Thief of Joy?

May 14, 2020 • 2 min read

Comparison is the thief of joy

For years, this was my favorite quote. I’d find myself repeating it to friends whenever an applicable opportunity presented itself in conversation. The six words were truth, I lived by them.

Like everything else in life, nothing is true in absolutes.

Comparison of Themes

This is what we’re all great at, which is awful for us. We tend to compare ourselves to others by just what they have like their relationships, net worth, social media following, career, health, family life, the list goes on.

The result, as I’m sure you know, tends to be negative

  • “I wish I had a significant other like that.”
  • “She’s only 25 and a VP at her company already.”
  • “She’s younger than me and 10x more successful.”

More importantly, it’s not actionable. Knowing that she’s the VP of her company doesn’t help you achieve anything, besides making you feel like shit.

Comparison of Details

You should strive to look at the details. Question how someone you look up achived what they did. Focus on their techniques, that’s an aspect you can emulate.

  • They’re in great shape because of their workout and diet.

  • They have a large net worth because they spend all night networking trying to grow their business.

  • They have a great relationship with their siblings because they prioritize calling them every week.

Now it’s actionable. You can modify your own workout or diet, focus on your work ethic, and you can schedule a weekly call with your family.

Inspiration

In trying to grow my Instagram I’d always compare myself to larger accounts. I’d find myself getting jealous when I saw others getting paid to feature products on their page while I would just sit here eagerly awaiting for some company to slide in to my DMs.

I was too focused on the result that I had no idea that almost all of those accounts were proactively reaching out to brands to work with them. That was something I could start improving on; something actionable.


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Fran

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