The problem with human nature is that we all want to be good at something, but with that comes the truest problem: When you don’t succeed or do well enough, by your own standards or those of someone else, you tend to compare yourself to others and that can and probably will be your downfall.
We look at how success, fame, money, good fortune and (perceived) happiness come to others, but not to us. We start to be much more hard on ourselves than we should. We cave and fall.
Now, I’m not saying that looking at others as a motivator is a bad thing, I’m saying comparing ourselves to others is terrible and harmful. It can leave you a hollowed shell if you never reach the (probably unobtainable or irrational) goal you set for yourself.
We have to take care of ourselves physically, but also both emotionally and mentally. Don’t look at others who are “doing better” than you. Look at yourself. You know what you would like to accomplish. You know what it will take to reach those goals. Work toward them.
Make a list of things you want to accomplish in the next year. The next two years. The next five years. Ten years. Whatever. However far out you would like to plan.
Once you do that, map out what it’ll take to accomplish the goals on that list. Some people give up going out and partying. Some give up relationships and the potential to build a family. I’m not saying that’s what you need to do to obtain a goal. Just figure out what works for you. Figure out the obstacles. Figure out what push and pull you need to do for you to get to the level you want to be at. Comparing yourself to others and seeing what worked for them isn’t necessarily what will work for you. Remember that.
Ultimately what I’m trying to say is don’t sacrifice what makes you who you are to try to become someone else. It’ll do nothing but turn you into an empty hull waiting on the next command or driving force to turn you into someone else.
Be true to you. At all times. Be your unrequited self because no one else can ever do that.
This is not just a post for writers, this is a post for all. I see a lot of people feeling like they are less than because they don’t match the success of someone else and I wanted to address that.