Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People!

 It's the easiest thing in the world to do. We all do it. We see what we want to be or who we want to be and we immediately think, "why can't I be 'as good' as this person or 'as strong' or 'as fast' or [insert hopes and dreams here] as these people I see and these people I know. 

It's destructive. That sort of thinking will get you nowhere except disappointed, discouraged, unmotivated and, ultimately, moving further from your goals, all because you can't find happiness in the progress you've made and can only focus on the progress of others.

As hard as it is, you need to remind yourself to replace negativity with positive reinforcement. You need to force yourself to realize how far you've come and the strides you've made. We all grow and mature and progress at different rates and on our own timelines. You can't use someone else's timeline as a referendum on your personal accomplishments, nor can you allow yourself to see failure in not progressing at the same rate as someone else. You HAVE to remember, we are all different; we all excel at different aspects of life and reach success at different rates. You have to stop dragging yourself down and remember to lift yourself up if you want to continue on your path to success. 

When you start to doubt your ability or belittle your accomplishments because you can't be like someone else, or you can't seem to make progress as quickly as you'd like, you must remember these 3 simple points:

NUMBER 1.

You have made a tremendous amount of progress already! In a short time, you are MUCH closer to your goals than you were not that long ago. The Problem? In YOUR MIND (and your mind ONLY) you are "failing" and "falling behind" because of what you see and who you see. You cannot be who you see, you can only be what you are. Stop being blinded by the progress of others so much that you can't see the value in what you've accomplished and the strides you've made to get closer to your goals! Just because you aren't as far along as those you admire, or as far along as you'd like to be, you are still further alone than you were. And that's AWESOME!

NUMBER 2. 

 Put everything else aside. Focus on you and you alone. How far have YOU come? Where did you start? Where are you now? Have you made progress? Progress is progress. Do NOT lose sight of that fact. It's so easy to feel as though we aren't making strides in the right direction when we see others succeeding. BUT, that doesn't mean that you aren't succeeding also! Stop comparing the pace of your progress with the pace of the progress of others. You have no idea about their lives. What is their job like? How many responsibilities do they have? Do they have kids? Do the have obligations? These are important questions because no two people lead the same lives. If your day is consumed with responsibilities and obligations and things that require your attention, there is no way you can keep pace with someone who has fewer distractions. No way. You must, must, MUST take that into consideration. Be happy with where you are. Assess your personal progress despite the obstacles you've faced and remember to relax. You ARE making progress!

AND NUMBER 3.

 Our bodies are all different. Completely different. Some people are naturally stronger, some are naturally faster, some are genetically leaner and taller or shorter and the list goes on. You have to remember that. You have to be aware that we all grow and change and mature and progress according to our own bodies and no one else's. For every person to whom you look up, keep in mind there are two or three more people that look up to you. NEVER fail to realize what you have to offer and NEVER fail to recognize the person you are. Stop being blinded by what you envy so deeply that you neglect to see that YOU ARE WHO SOMEONE ELSE ASPIRES TO BE! Don't get so caught up in things you can't control that you overlook those who look up to you. 

We will never be all that we want to be when we want be it. We will always see what other people are and have and we want so badly to see ourselves reach that goal or that milestone. But remember, it's a process for a reason. The grind along the way is what makes the results and attaining your goals so much more enjoyable. Stay focused on you and be mindful of your progress and your personal journey. One day, you'll have an amazing story to tell about how you go to where you wanted to be for all the people that want to be like you.