ME v. ME

There’s a phrase I’ve heard all my life—“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” I know it’s meant to be comforting, a verbal remedy for self-doubt, but every time I hear it, I feel a knot of frustration rise within me. To me, it’s always sounded like advice that only grazes the surface, like telling a baseball pitcher to “just throw strikes.” It's well-meaning, but ultimately empty.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been hard on myself. In my family, self-discipline was second nature, and striving for more—more success, more growth, more accomplishment—was the unspoken rule. If you wanted to be great, you had to earn it. In retrospect, I wouldn't have had it any other way. My parents never really cared much if I got a bad grade or didn't make honor role because they wanted me to care about it on my own, without the external push from them.

I'm not sure if he knows this, but my younger brother was my biggest competitor. Watching him excel always made me push harder. In that constant cycle of comparison and competitiveness, I learned early on that the world wasn’t going to hand you anything, and if you wanted it, you’d better work for it.

That drive has shaped every part of me—academically, professionally, and even personally. While some people might argue that it’s a toxic mindset, for me, it’s been a survival tactic. Yes, it’s exhausting, and yes, sometimes it feels like nothing is ever enough. But without that pressure, would I have grown into the person I am today?

"ME v. ME" is a reflection of that journey—the constant battle between who I am and who I want to be. It’s not just about pushing myself but confronting the internal struggles that come with it. The title itself carries a double meaning: yes, it's about the internal struggle of self-versus-self, but it's also quite literally "ME" versus "ME," because those are my initials. This series is an exploration of my personal growth, my battles with self-doubt, and the moments when I’ve had to challenge my own limits. And I invite you to follow along on this journey with me.

So, while I’ve never been one to let myself off the hook, maybe that’s the key. Maybe being “too hard” on yourself is sometimes exactly what you need to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.