As I sat waiting, completely still, at a red light yesterday, I was reminded of those moments when you look over to the car next to you and suddenly feel like you’re rolling backwards.

You know that feeling?

 

But the movement isn’t real.

What’s actually happening is that the other car is moving forward - and your mind interprets that as you going backwards.

 

That’s exactly how comparison works, and it’s the take-away insight here: when you compare yourself to someone else - especially someone who seems to be moving ahead - you can very easily feel as if you are falling behind.

Pause and let that settle.

 

Comparison only makes sense when two things very alike. But how similar are any two people, really?

We don’t share the same skills, dreams, backgrounds, life experiences, visions for the future, temperaments, ways of thinking, family dynamics, values, or beliefs. When you consider just how different we all are, there can be no “apples-with-apples” comparison between any two people, it makes no sense.

 

As someone on my own coaching journey, I had to ask myself honestly: how often am I still tempted to compare myself to others?

The answer wasn’t entirely what I had hoped.

 

What about you?

If you ask yourself honestly - how often am I still tempted to compare myself to others? - how satisfied would you be with your answer?