We’ve all read countless articles on many well-known websites, blogs, and guru-platforms that we shall NEVER compare ourselves to other people. In fact, we’re told to only compare ourselves to the person whom we were ‘yesterday’.
The problem is that looking back to ‘who you were yesterday’ actually inhibits your development more than improving it.
Research has confirmed that for the most part, we tend to overestimate our own improvement in life. (even if there is none, really). Looking back might create a sense of self-entitlement because we ‘feel’ like we’ve improved, even though this isn’t always the case.
This way of thinking, that we continously improve ourselves if we look back into the past, may make us feel good about ourselves, but will equally blind us from identifying our current development needs.
So, comparing yourself to ‘who you were yesterday’ may not be the way to go.
By contrast, looking ahead to who you want to become may serve you better.
You see, if we expect improvement in the future, we can transform those expectations into actionable goals. We can pursue these goals now. Furthermore, research shows our future selves can motivate us to be proactive and persistent in the pursuit of these goals. Looking ahead thus provides a good indication of what we need to change and motivates us to put in the work.
Forget about comparing yourself with whom you were in the past. Look ahead and compare yourself to whom you want to become! This is what really matters. 🙂
Hope I could a spark some thoughts in your mind 🙂
Goodnight,