40+FAB Blog

Example, comparison, or competition

The power of an example is to motivate us to strive to do more than our current experience. Our generation is blessed with the access to many exemplary persons and thier acts which changed the world.

When the spotlight shines on an exceptional person, we can sometimes react in the wrong way by comparing ourselves to them or even getting into a place of competition. Does this mean that there is anything wrong with comparison and competition?

To answer this, lets go down memory lane to our school days. Sometimes the teacher would point out an exemplary student in the class, possibly hoping to inspire other students, rather it yielded an atmosphere pregnant with envy, self-doubt and animosity. Maybe it was even your parents that compared you to siblings or friends. Every human being is so unique that it is quite cruel to compare any two persons. When we apply a cookie cutter approach to deal with a group of people, we end up creating a toxic environment.

We need to be taught the power of an example. It is meant to inspire us to compare where we are now with the possibility of where we could be. It is to challenge us to compete with ourselves, always striving to make the me today better than the me of yesterday. Example should lead to the comparison and competition with self to become a much better person.

The problem with comparing or competing with others is that each person has thier own unique path in life that only they are best suited for. When I look back over the years, I see that people I compared myself to or competed with in school are in a totally different profession with totally different interests from me today. In fact, I cant think of any two people in that class that are in the same line of business today.

Don’t live the rest of your life under the pressure of what another person has become or possesses. Follow this guide of being inspired by their example, and remember, the only reason it evokes such strong emotions in you is that the you of today is operating way below where you know you can be tomorrow. Take that energy and get into a fierce competition with yourself to come out better than you have ever been.