One of my favorite images from the Olympics was of South African Chad Le Clos in the 200m butterfly final glancing across to his arch rival Michael Phelps in the next lane. The fact that Phelps went on to win the\u00a0race against\u00a0Le Clos, who’d won it\u00a0four years earlier at the London Olympics\u00a0London, \u00a0holds\u00a0a poignant lesson for anyone who\u00a0gets caught up\u00a0focusing\u00a0more\u00a0on the progress of others than on furthering their own.<\/p>\n
As social\u00a0beings, it\u2019s only natural to compare ourselves with those around us,\u00a0particularly those with whom we share a common background or interest.\u00a0Family members. Work colleagues. Competitors. Old friends. Neighbours. \u00a0There’s even a name for it “Social comparison theory.” \u00a0While it can make us grateful or boost our ego, we have\u00a0\u00a0to be vigilant not to judge\u00a0our own worth or\u00a0success against the people around us. Why? Because no matter how well we think we’re doing, there’ll always be someone who’s doing something better. Always.<\/p>\n
Heck, one day even the incredible Michael Phelps will stop hauling in the Gold.<\/p>\n
Here’s the truth as I see it:<\/p>\n
Every minute you spend comparing how well you\u2019re doing against someone else is a minute you aren\u2019t spending running your own best race.<\/strong> Not only that, but the very act of comparing yourself generally triggers emotions that leave us\u00a0feeling either resentful, intimidated, inferior, jealous, flat or fearful that our life just isn\u2019t measuring up\u2026 that we aren\u2019t measuring up!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n