How to Stop Comparison in It’s Tracks!

Are you stuck in the comparison trap? Has “comparisonitis” got you paralyzed? Well you are not alone!

Many of us get caught up in the destructive thoughts of comparison, and before you know it you’ve unconsciously decided that you’re clearly not good enough and you gave up before you even started.

So how can you stop these thoughts before they start? First you have to realize that comparisons are never fair. Each and everyone of us is unique, and so we can never truly have fair metrics to decide. This is the beauty of it all – there’s enough room for all of us in this world to shine!

[ctt title=”“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it… it just blooms!”” tweet=”“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it… it just blooms!” – via @thecarlivh” coverup=”eXsea”]

The best way to tackle comparison and kick it out the door is to create mental habits to help keep you on track, and back towards reaching your goals.

Stop Comparison In It’s Tracks

1. ACKNOWLEDGE THE BEAST

One of the first things to realize is that you are in fact comparing yourself. When you can recognize these thoughts, you will be able to stop them before they derail your path. Perhaps take a step back, notice the harmful effects that comparison has on your business and your life, and take action to remove it!

Something that may help start the process is to identify who you are comparing yourself to, and then remind yourself that you are completely different people and that you each have your own journey to walk out.

2. RECOGNIZE YOUR MANY SUCCESSES

Next, shift the focus to your own achievements. Often times the failures drown out our successes, and if we don’t take the time to acknowledge them they may get lost in the whirlwind. Celebrate the fact that you already have everything you need to accomplish great things!

Once your mind has shifted from what others are doing, you can start to bring out the unique and very vintage you! This is where your true personality can start to shine. Your own ideas will flourish, without being tarnished by the influences of how others are doing it “better”.

[ctt title=”“Personality begins where comparison ends.” – Karl Lagerfeld” tweet=”“Personality begins where comparison ends.” – Karl Lagerfeld via @thecarlivh” coverup=”lB8fJ”]

3. FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS

Everything you’ve done to get you to this point has made you into this intricately “designed” person with so many great things to share. Your strengths and talents are backed by a set of unique perspectives and experiences. You have something truly valuable to offer others, and it would be a shame if you didn’t share it.

So put the focus on these strengths, find ways to improve, and never give up on achieving your dreams. When you’ve put your heart into following your passion, there will be little to stop you once comparison is out of the way.

4. DO NOT RELY ON PERCEPTIONS

Social media has such a sneaky tendency to make things appear as they are not. We love to put only the best pictures of the best moments out there for everyone to see. Rarely does anyone tell you about these bad days. Even the most successful struggle with comparison – believe it, it’s true!

These perceptions created by our “online lives” can be so damaging when we take comparison to heart. Remember that there is so much more to a person than what you see on the surface. Take the time to get to know them before heading down comparison boulevard.

5. REALIZE THAT NOBODY’S PERFECT

This falls neatly behind point number 4 – don’t let perceptions fool you because we are all human after all. Each and everyone, along with our unique talents, also have our own unique struggles. Give yourself the grace to be “imperfect”, and know that you are not alone in this.

The greatest thing about life is that we get second chances – opportunities to try new things and get up and try again when we fail. We are faced with learning opportunities everyday, and it’s up to us to seize these challenges and use them for our own personal growth.

6. FIND INSPIRATION IN COMPARISON

Since comparison is clearly part of our human nature, why not take advantage of it for inspirational purposes? Finding inspiration and learning from others is a golden nugget of wisdom in my books!

A great way to do this is to reach out to others in your industry, those you admire, and ask them questions to help you learn and grow. They will be glad to share their knowledge with you and help you avoid some of the many stumbling blocks that they’ve already faced. Notice this shift in focus to positive change, and incorporate it into your daily routine.

7. BECOME YOUR OWN BIGGEST COMPETITION

This is key! Realize that when you are focusing on your own personal strengths and goals, there is no better way to improve than to strive for your personal best. You are the only who know if you’ve truly reached your goals or not, so be accountable to yourself.

This is not only a great motivation, but also an excellent way to measure how far you’ve come. Now that comparison is out of the way, you can go on to improving yourself instead of spending precious energy worrying about what others are doing.

Now over to YOU!

TAKE ACTION

How do you deal with comparisonitis? Which points do you need the most help with?
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As always, desire to inspire!