Measure Success by Your Own Yardstick

It's all too easy to fall into the trap of constantly measuring your worth against others.

From early school days to adulthood, we're bombarded with messages that urge us to be better, faster, and stronger than those around us. We're told that success is relative, and our value is determined by how we stack up against our peers.

But what if I told you there's a different path, a road less traveled that leads to fulfillment and contentment? It's a path that encourages you to measure success by your own yardstick rather than the achievements of others.

Escaping the Comparison Trap

Imagine you're a dedicated employee in the corporate world, working diligently for a well-established company. You've climbed the corporate ladder, earning promotions and recognition along the way.

While you're not the highest-ranking executive, you're far from a novice, and your contributions are valued. But one day, you receive an email announcing the latest accomplishments of your colleagues in a different department.

They've secured a high-profile project, received accolades, and are now hailed as the company's rising stars. Suddenly, your sense of accomplishment wavers as you feel the pressure to outshine them, to prove yourself once again.

Now, let's shift our focus to a different scenario. Picture a manager in a comparatively smaller company, someone who has been successfully steering the ship for years.

The business is doing reasonably well, profitability is consistent, and the team is content. However, as they attend an industry conference, they not only witness managers from rival companies receiving industry awards and recognition for their exceptional achievements but also learn that these peers are earning significantly more. A sense of inadequacy starts to creep in.

Their contentment, once derived from the stability and well-being of their team, now feels insignificant in comparison to the glitz and glamour of their competitors' success stories and the disparity in compensation.

These scenarios are all too familiar in our competitive world, and they often leave us feeling like we're constantly falling short.

But what if we could break free from this cycle of comparison and competition?

The Wisdom of "Desiderata"

In the famous poem "Desiderata," there's a line that carries profound wisdom: "If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself."

These words hold a timeless message: comparing ourselves to others can lead to vanity and bitterness. This message resonated with me during my own journey, prompting me to reconsider my approach to life.

The conventional wisdom tells us that competition is the driving force behind self-improvement, both academically and professionally. However, the pursuit of self-improvement doesn't have to be shackled to comparison with others.

Rather than competing with those around us, we can choose to compete with ourselves—to strive to become better versions of who we were yesterday.

The Pursuit of Intrinsic Progress

The fundamental shift in mindset here is moving from external benchmarks to internal ones. The true measure of success should be your personal growth and progress, not how you compare to others.

It's about focusing on being better at the things that matter most to you—your passions, your skills, and your character. This approach doesn't negate ambition or the drive to excel; instead, it channels these energies toward self-mastery rather than comparison.

To constantly look over the fence at what others have achieved is akin to sipping a slow-acting poison—a poison that breeds lifelong envy and inadequacy. It's a burden that robs us of the ability to appreciate our own unique journey.

When we shift our perspective and stop comparing ourselves to others, we free ourselves from the grip of envy and competition.

Embracing Life's Diversity

Life is riddled with complexities. There are no simplistic win-lose outcomes; there's no one-size-fits-all definition of success. Each of us excels in some areas while grappling with challenges in others.

That person with seemingly boundless wealth may lack inner peace, while the less famous individual might enjoy a life free from unnecessary anxieties.

And again, the beauty of life lies in its diversity. We all have different paths, different struggles, and different triumphs.

When we release ourselves from the burden of comparison, we can embrace this diversity fully. We can start where we are, use what we have, and do what we can, all without feeling the need to possess what others do.

The Joy of the Journey

Perhaps the most significant revelation in embracing a non-comparative mindset is the newfound joy in the journey itself. When we relinquish the constant pressure to be first, we can truly savor every step of the way.

We prepare more thoughtfully, travel at our own pace, and take the time to enjoy the scenery. Along this path, we become more generous, extending a hand to others rather than competing against them.

So, can this philosophy of no competition truly apply in the world of business? The answer is a resounding yes. In business, as in life, we can achieve greatness without constantly comparing ourselves to competitors.

The focus shifts from outperforming others to delivering value, innovation, and excellence based on our unique strengths and talents.

Therefore, there is profound wisdom in learning to measure success by your own yardstick. It's a path that leads to contentment, fulfillment, and the genuine celebration of all achievements, whether big or small.

It's a path that allows you to embrace your uniqueness, appreciate life's diversity, and relish every step of your remarkable journey. Learn to measure success by your own yardstick