Just Do Your Best! Because Comparisons are Deadly...
Whatever we might think — or whatever we might have been taught, to the contrary — most of us will never get anywhere near the achievements of the "great people" we look up to.
While they definitely can serve as inspiration, there is only one who gets to be "best in the world." Professional athletes are 1-in-thousands and chances of becoming that one are slime to none.
I choose not to see that perspective as a negative attitude, but rather I look at it as being in touch with the reality of the world around me. At the same time, I can still feel inspired by those who are the best at whatever they do.
Somewhere along the way, we have learned to view the old saying that "it's more important to participate than to win" as some kind of sign of weakness or failure. But it's really not, as long as we have done our best, right?
After all, if we considered ourselves to be failures unless our performance equaled the very best in the world, chances are we would never undertake anything at all.
And it would be silly if I never played basketball unless I thought I could be as good as Michael Jordan, or I never wrote a blog post unless I was as popular and successful as the very best and most successful creator here on Hive.
While it is almost impossible to live without comparing ourselves to others, comparisons can also be deadly. We can hold ourselves to standards we have no hope of ever achieving, and then become depressed and despondent because we feel like we're failing to live up to our expectations.
The second thing that can happen is that we end up taking everything in life so seriously that we completely forget to have fun! And that would be a shame.
And so, I'm just going to plug along and keep doing "as well as I can," regardless of what anyone else might be doing.
I suppose the lesson here is that "ecellence" is whatever we decide that it is, not what someone else tells us.
Feel free to leave a comment — this IS "social" media, after all!
As always, a 10% @commentrewarder bonus is active on this post!
I get down whenever I begin to compare myself with others! Not very productive! So, I have to remind myself to be more mindful and self-aware! It’s better to be attentive to the here and now, though it’s easier said than done!
Hey focus on yourself... and stop getting distracted seeing others achiements... YOu can learn from them...what they did to be there...and they too struggled, they too failed, it would not have been easy... so go easy on yourself.
Keep going...don't spiral...it helps to train your mind through affirmation, to-do list, or goal list and breaking them down to steps ...so you take steps for sucess...
Yes, it is definitely a good idea to focus on the here and now! I try to do that as much as possible, and otherwise try to ignore as many of the societal messages as possible.
Hello Kitty... ohh how I smiled seeing cat cuarator cat(: ...how is the dog buddy... how is the sunshine? ...real one not metaphorical...
Well... as for this interesting reflection... There is good point in it. Just see, you build something step by step so you achieve something...maybe a skill, maybe growth and definitely wisdom with learnings from experience. One can change approach.
I got few examples from my life... from not able to write , to then writing on many topics...to not able to lift a 20 little can bottle , not able to drive car...not too long ago...its growth since I joined Hive 2018 Oct I think...hmmm...
You got invisible growth...like fundamentals for bull run. Now even as I have aged 41 years... I lifted 3 20 litre bottles from water filling station, driving the car myself, loading the bottle in car and in lift home...even now I don't reverse perfectly, side reversing...but I manage...
I am not saying its great but its something I never could earlier... none the else... value progress, they are milestones, be humble, be true to yourself... do things you enjoy... and prepare to build your strenght daily...and someday you would be strong.
THiss is also because even if your lost years, not accomblished things you should have...you still have still and should focus on achieving those things and that can only be done, if your motivated to try...not dishearted...
Anyway....long time since I commented...but I am thrilled to see this beauty cat!
I had my haydays too...like bull runs ...where all of sudden my cat stories got widely read here by community...those days are gone... like coin category trends , things shift... you move on... I won't be able to write cat stories like before...mostly because good cat times are faded...):...I got dog friends though...things change...
Thank you for stopping by @mintymile, I appreciate your visit!
On the whole, things here are pretty good, although we are in the middle of winter so it is mostly gray and raining. Which means not very many sunny spots!
The cats are doing well, there are four of us now! Sadly, our dog friend Daisy passed away last year. She was getting quite old and it was difficult for her to move around.
One of the things I tell myself is that we often achieve the most by working hard during the bad times. When everybody else has given up and gone home we keep going, and then when things turn around and start to go better we are in a much better position to enjoy Good Times — whether it is a crypto Bull Run or something else — after the turnaround.
It is just a matter of keeping a positive mindset and moving forward, even though it sometimes is not easy!
=^..^=