The Healthiest Comparison

Could you join me to paint a mental picture?

Kindly picture yourself getting this balance scale on, say, finance, marriage, accomplishments, fame, and… while I find this very hilarious, I’ll include it for clarity’s sake…looks.

Now, place someone (your friend, neighbor, or a random person whose success story appeals to you) nicely on one of its plates. Afterward, walk all the way to the other plate to take your seat.

Don’t be confused. This is literally what happens when you compare yourself with others. You evaluate, in your mind, who’s more affluent, more beautiful, and seemingly happier in life.

Now, I need you, to be honest here.

How would you feel if your plate plunges when you sit, leaving your ‘perceived competitor’ hanging above you on the other side? What’s your reaction going to be if you’re the richer one, the more successful one? Or the more beautiful one?

Fulfilled? Accomplished? Satisfied? Be honest.

Now, what happens when it’s your plate hanging above the other?

Perplexed? Jealous? Challenged?

Well, if you get challenged, we could call that a good thing, but not entirely because you will be likened to an athlete who is in a race but is constantly looking at his opponent’s track.

Stay with me. You’ll know the HEALTHIEST and ONLY comparison you should be making.

Okay?

Can we switch things up a little and place yesterday’s you on the other plate instead of someone else?

Let’s call yesterday’s you YY, and the present you TY.

Now, if YY weighs more than TY, what would you do?

Strive to be better, I guess. But hey, would that make you any different from that athlete we talked about? Only that this time, he has his eyes fixed behind him as he runs.

I know it is a popular saying that the only person you should be in competition with is YY. I’ve even written several contents on a host of other platforms around this subject.

But hey, why not?

You must strive to get better every day. You should grow with each passing day and retrospectively evaluate each growth process.

However, my question is this: Is it okay to move forward looking back all the time? Do you even do that? For example, do you walk to the bus stop looking backward on your way to work?

How would you even feel if you’re watching a race, and athletes keep looking back to gauge the distance they have covered instead of focusing on the finish line?

Won’t you be puzzled? And even perplexed?

And shouldn’t you be bewildered when the only yardstick you have to measure your growth is your yesterday’s experiences?

You should be.

Relax, don’t hang me just yet. I brought you good news!

Should you even compare yourself with anyone or anything at all?

If yes, who or what should that be?

Let’s take a peek into the Scriptures, shall we?

Phil 3:13 and 14 …but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ.

Did you see it?

The only entity you should ever compare yourself with is THE YOU IN THE THOUGHTS OF GOD! The person God created you to be!

The You in the outline of God for your life is supposed to be seated on the other plate – every single day of your life. Not the You of yesterday, never your friend, and absolutely not your favorite celebrity!

Why?

You were uniquely crafted by God’s hands. He created you with raw materials that are exclusive to you, and He has planted you on a path that is original to you. So, the best way to measure your progress on your path is to continually evaluate how close you are to that mark for the reward of His higher calling for you.

Why’s This Comparison Healthy?

You’d Be Able to Utilize the Graces Made Available for you

If you keep up with the wrong comparison, you won’t accurately measure the processes that are still ahead of you. You won’t know how far you have TRULY come and how far you still have to go. As such, you may not recognize the opportunities God presents to you.

When the comparison is between you and someone else, you may end up being on the lookout for the opportunities that get you to your ‘competitor’s’ current level. Trust me, those opportunities may not be for you.

When you cannot identify YOUR opportunities, you won’t access the graces God has made available for you. You could even turn your back on the relationships, resources, and provisions that are peculiar to your purpose simply because they can’t get you where your ‘competitor’ is.

It Helps You Stay Grateful

If you don’t know how far you are on your unique journey, you can’t discern how much God has helped you. And if you can’t discern, you won’t be grateful.

If you do not know that the little sales you’re currently making in your business are well-aligned with God’s plan. Trust me, you can’t be thankful for them.

If you don’t know that the ‘change’ you’re earning now is a stepping stone to getting you where God intends, you won’t appreciate it. Instead, you’ll probably keep your eyes fixed on other people’s millions.

Tell me, what’s more devastating than a life void of gratitude?

It Spares You Overwhelm and Depression

Not utilizing the graces God makes available for your success is disastrous enough. But the catastrophe doesn’t end there. When you constantly compare yourself with others, you’re likely to be sitting above that person on the scale for as long as you keep up with the comparison.

That person will keep growing and harnessing the opportunities peculiar to their calling. And any time you meet them, you’ll have a new misaligned milestone to beat. You definitely cannot escape being overwhelmed, depressed, and spent – doing the wrong thing by continuing on such paths.

You see?

It won’t end.

And all the while, your God-given opportunities will be watching you, waiting tirelessly for you to open your eyes and grab them.

Sweetheart, talk to yourself or me (in the comment section).

In what ways have you been shortchanging yourself by having your eyes on another person’s process?

Have you ever sought to find out what God’s thoughts for you are?

If you have, how grateful are you for how far you’ve come?

If you haven’t, how about you do that now, starting with the ultimate key to intentional living?