If you’re human, you’ve done it. You make comparisons with other people. The good thing is that other people have a tendency to compare themselves to you. And the less-than-great fact is that you are doing too. Although neither of them is a benefit to one another, it’s an inherent part of our human nature. It’s how we develop as well as how we work; however, sometimes it can be a reason to give up, and it’s also a reason to give up.
A Fixed Mindset
We don’t possess anything to compare ourselves with. You might ask that how can we be able to grow and achieve? When we look at ourselves to others, it means that we can gauge our successes and failures against and, as a result, an indication of what we could do better and accomplish more.
Unfortunately, for those who are stuck in a mentality, this doesn’t happen at all. There’s an alternative way of thinking. The reverse way of thinking says that since we’re not as intelligent as someone else, then we should simply quit. It doesn’t work in this world, However. It’s not practical at most.
Do you find yourself looking at someone else’s achievements as just a way to appear poor? If yes, then you’re not the only one in this mindset. For some, the accomplishments of other people are used to emphasize their own mistakes. The excuses used are the other party is more fortunate or enjoying a smoother ride. Another excuse is to claim that it’s all easy for the person, or even more ominously, to use their success to emphasize some other flaw that is not related to it. What if you could train your brain to develop a mental model that encourages growth?
Growth Mindset
At the other extreme is a mindset of growth. You have the chance to evolve and develop with time as you gain the ability to train your brain to adopt a more positive mentality. If you see the success of someone else as a reason to try to be better, achieve more and do more, You retrain your brain to think of this as a reason not to remain in the status quo instead of a motivation to be successful.
If you decide to follow the thought patterns that can develop and that it is possible to develop your brain to attain higher levels, You will notice an enormous change in how you conduct yourself. When you realize that your self-image doesn’t have anything to do with failure in something and that defeat is actually a way towards higher education, You will feel more comfortable in your self-image.
Wouldn’t it be nice to feel relaxed in your personal space? If you decide to change your thinking, you will be able to train your brain to see failure as a way to achieve new success. It will be easier to view the value of failure as a tool to learn instead of a means to determine your own image.
The next time you’re looking to make comparisons to another person, take a moment to think about whether their accomplishment will inspire you. Perhaps they put a tremendous amount of work into the pursuit of their goals, and the effort resulted in a positive outcome. It could be a great learning instrument for you, not something that is viewed as a threat.
The success of other people could provide an opportunity for you to grow, learn and, perhaps, be motivated.