In order to have some semblance of work-life balance as a business owner, I create art and functional art using resin and other media. Through the wonderful world of Facebook, Instagram, etc., I can see the work of other resin artists in real time. I can also see how many comments they get, how many fans they have, and how much they are charging for their work if they’re selling. Many of the artists I see are phenomenal, and sometimes I cannot even figure out how they do what they do or achieve the results they get. Often, I compare my work to theirs, and then I start to feel less confident and even less creative.
It’s easy to get caught up with comparing ourselves with others. But it’s not productive most of the time. Here’s why.
- It wastes time. We only have so many hours in the day. Instead of using time to compare yourself, take the time to be the best you.
- When you see someone else’s success, you aren’t seeing everything that went into the success. You’re only seeing where they are now. It may be that they have worked countless hours to achieve the skill or the money or the technique or whatever.
- We are not all born into the same circumstances. We all deserve to be treated equally, but we are not all equally gifted, nor do we all have the same advantages. Unless you know that the person you are comparing yourself to has had the exact same skill level, upbringing, genetics, etc., it’s not fruitful to do the comparison thing.
- Comparison puts the emphasis on someone else. The only person you can control is you.
- When you compare yourself to others, you deprive yourself of the satisfaction of your own achievement. If you want to lose 50 pounds, but you compare yourself to your brother who is at his ideal weight, you don’t get to really celebrate each 10-pound loss milestone. It’s YOUR achievement.
- Comparison deprives you of being grateful for who you are. For me personally, when I lose sight of gratitude, the comparisons and dissatisfaction start rolling in. When we practice gratitude, we tend to notice more positive things in our lives and in our selves.
You are unique. We all are. Stay grounded in this and you’ll feel much more enjoyment in your everyday life.