Why we need to stop comparing ourselves to others - career and financial comparison
Updated: Jul 19, 2022
Here is a message we all need to hear in today’s climate…. Stop comparing yourself to others!
It is important to note that we are all unique and special in our own way. We will list the top three ways we #compare ourselves to others and why it needs to stop. This discussion will be divided into three different post:
Career and Financial comparison
You’ve seen it right? In so many popular films - the CEO of a large company has a crush on a beautiful young lady within the workplace but so does the office mail person. The mail person thinks that they have no chance because of their career choice and the #comparisons begin. They compare their car to the CEO’s, as well as clothes and even the type of lunch that is ordered. Well we’re here to tell you that none of that matters! Read on and we shall explain why.
"Stop comparing yourself to others!"
It all begins at a young age
We are taught at a young age to compare ourselves to our siblings or other kids in the family and friend circle. How many times have you heard something similar to “Well Jennifer has straight A’s on her report card, what about Mike”, “Bill was just accepted into whatever university, what about Sam”, “Crystal just made top sales person in her company, how is Janet doing”? All those underline, hidden punches that eats away at someone’s self esteem starting when you are only a kid. This is something we have to stop doing to ourselves and our kids.
Acknowledge and enjoy different career paths
There are so many different career paths that all play a major part in our society and no one should be ashamed of the one they choose. Be proud of what you do and #respect others for the job they do. Life is all about #enjoyment. Just because someone has a top position in whatever company does not mean that they enjoy what they do. We have seen it more times then we can count, the stress, the work hours, no fulfillment whatsoever but to the outside world she/he seems to have it all. In all reality they don’t even have the time to sit for an hour with a clear head and enjoy the sunshine.
Our time is priceless
Some people would say, “Well at least when you have a prestigious position and make a good income” (whatever that entails), you can buy whatever you want. We have one response to that: WHO CARES?! It’s just stuff! Our time is the most important thing we have and it’s priceless. We are taught to work hard and buy stuff to impress random people. Most of the time, those who work so hard to buy the newest sports car or to take a lavish vacation somewhere never really get a chance to enjoy it. All their time is spent at a job site or office, so they get to drive to and from work (great job on enjoying that sports car). As for the lavish vacation, well even when they are on the most beautiful island, their nose is buried in a laptop (Nice job on working hard to go to another location just to work hard).
Chase the right thing
It’s a shame but we have all been programed to chase the wrong thing, let us give you an example. The person that works whatever position and earns $35,000 a year can be in a much better position than someone who has a “top” position and earns $150,000 a year.
If the person making $150,000 a year is up to their eyeballs in debt, working 80 hours a week and has no time for themselves or their family, all to try and “Keep up with the Taylors” next door, they are worse off then the person that is bringing in $35,000 a year with no debt, works 40 hours a week but yet has time for themselves or to enjoy a nice weekend trip with the family.
It’s all about balance!
It is important to note that we are all unique and special in our own way. We begin as kids with our own #goals, #dreams and #passions but somewhere along the way we let others disrupt our minds and change us. Search deep inside your head and find that kid again, the one that was not afraid of judgement, not afraid to be different then everyone else and not afraid to follow their own path.
So next time you begin to compare your career and/or finances to another person’s, ask yourself, “Is this really what I want or has outside opinions influenced me?” and the biggest question of all “will it truly make me happy?”.
Tip: Read about "Physical comparison" and "Relationship comparison"
