Daily Devotional
Why Is Comparison Detrimental?
Text: Galatians 6:4-5
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.
Message
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Well, I can’t help but agree. Oftentimes, seeing how you match up against others is a frustrating, discouraging, and simply unproductive use of your time. Contributing Steven Furtick wrote, “The reason why we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”
Sure, sometimes there’s nothing like a little friendly competition to really give you a kick in the pants. But, in most cases, constantly comparing yourself—particularly your career or family life—to others is pretty much a recipe for disaster. Don’t believe me? Here are some reasons you should snap out of it and stop analyzing how you measure up to everyone else. Because, honestly, it really doesn’t matter.
You can’t physically change who you are! You are you. You’ll always be you and you’ll never be anyone else. And although it might be hard to believe this is actually a good thing. To explain this, Jen Sincero said, “There will never be anyone exactly like you. You were given special gifts and talents to share with the world, and even though everybody has special gifts and talents, nobody will use theirs quite the same way you do.”
Do you know see why it is probably not relevant to compare yourself to others? After all, you don’t need me to tell you that comparing apples to oranges just isn’t constructive! I never recommend busting your butt in order to keep up with the Jones’. It simply breeds discontentment. Instead spend your time chipping away at the personal goals and ambitions that make you better and make you feel accomplished.
Comparison is a funny thing. It can either make you feel really miserable and defeated or really victorious and talented. But, more often than not, constantly matching yourself up against others is incredibly disheartening. Bear this in mind that no one has a perfect life. Although you might think that a lot of people are leading an amazing life with no down sides, know that this isn’t true.
Every single person on this Earth experiences problems and challenges throughout their lifetime. No one is exempt from this, but some people are just better at keeping it together, at least on the outside. So, the next time you compare yourself to your friend or neighbour, remember that you probably do not know every detail about their life. Focusing on what others have can diminish your appreciation for your own accomplishments and happiness, thereby stealing your joy.
Constantly being so concerned with how everyone else is performing isn’t doing you any favour. Good for them! But what does beating yourself over the head with that information really accomplish? Nothing, other than make you feel irritated, unappreciated, and unimportant. After all, there will always be someone better than you at something. I know this point might seem a little harsh, but it’s the reality. So the sooner you accept it, the happier you’ll be.
I remember, when I was younger, I would cry my eyes out every time my best friend got a better grade than me. So to soothe me, my dad would say, “There will always be someone better than you at one point in your life.” At first, I didn’t really understand where he was going with it, and frankly, it left me with even more pain. But as I grew older, I realized he was right. At some point in your life, someone will beat you to whatever it is you’re after. You can’t always win at everything in life. All you have to do is work hard and try your best, and whatever is meant to be will fall into place for you at the right moment.
It doesn’t set healthy goals and everyone has a unique journey. Each person’s life path is different, making direct comparisons is unfair. However, setting goals that’ll help you achieve what you want (and not just what looks impressive on your LinkedIn profile). sets you might be surprised with the results!
It can damage self-esteem: Feeling inadequate when comparing yourself to others can lead to low self-worth. It distracts from personal growth: Instead of focusing on your own progress, you’re consumed by someone else’s achievements.
It can breed envy and resentment, negative emotions like jealousy and bitterness. Ignoring your strengths and focusing on what others excel at can blind you to your own unique abilities and talents.
Comparison is a waste of otherwise productive energy. Constantly comparing yourself to others is mentally draining and unproductive. Something positive and productive rarely comes out of comparing yourself to others. So, it’s essentially just a colossal waste of the precious time that you could be spending on other, more beneficial things.
Put an end to your self-deprecating Facebook scrolling and instead think of some actionable things you can do to actually improve yourself. Does your LinkedIn profile need a polish? Is there a professional workshop or seminar you’ve been meaning to sign up for? Are there some new projects you should add to your online portfolio? Well, do those things now! It’s a much better use of your time than cyber-stalking your second grade pen pal.
Remember that each gloomy thinking causes one to develop anxiety and depression-like impulses, which may continue well into old age.
Conclusion
Comparison is unproductive and a big time waster, you can’t move forward if you keep looking around. Rather than focusing on others, put that attention on becoming better than you were yesterday.