“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you”
– Ralph Waldo
A few years back, I was somewhat an idiot.
Or maybe just innocent.
I don’t know, but I used to be insecure most of the time. I had got into a habit of considering myself as inferior to others, often. No, I didn’t compare myself directly to anyone, but I could feel it happening. Perhaps, my mind would’ve been messing with me.
It kept happening to me – I unknowingly compared myself to others. Since I was such – insecure.
If I could go back in past and tell something to my younger self to help him out , then it would be as follows (In fact, this is something I still need to remind myself, because although I’ve grown up, I’m not entirely immune to my feelings):
Don’t compare yourself to anyone. You’re perfect the way you are – with all your imperfections and flaws. Are you trying to be better than who you were yesterday? Great, sometimes that’s the only thing that matters. Trying to become the kind of person you wish to be.
What’s the point in placing yourself on one side of the weigh-balance and someone else on the other? What sense does it make to compare others against each other either? It only decays you, and robs you of lots of blessings in life. You lose your peace, smile, self-esteem and end up manipulating yourself.
Most of the people who compare themselves to others are either overconfident or are less confident than they should be. Don’t be among them.
Fall. Run. Make your mistakes. Own your life. Feel your pains.
A few reasons why you shouldn’t fall prey to comparison
- You will develop an inferiority complex which will always remind you that you are less than others
- You will feel guilt if you find out that you aren’t up to your own expectations
- You won’t be able to express yourself freely anymore due to the fear of being compared
- You will try to conceal your performance, and then doubt your own ability
- You may start feeling complacent for being better than others
Not only these, but comparison may harm you through other awful ways. Sometimes even unnoticeably.
There’s not point in feeling diffident for being less than someone at something. Neither in feeling superior than your weak fellows. Because the outcome is negative in both cases, and affects your feelings and work.
You are always surrounded by people who are in some or the other way lesser or better than you. But the problem starts when you start comparing.
Dare to accept yourself, just the way you are, and then start working on who you want to be. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone. You’re good enough. Because you’re you, not someone else. You’re for yourself.