1 Learning
Psychology studies show the biggest driver of motivation is progress.
Nothing is more deflating than plateauing on the pursuit towards our goals.
Conversely, seeing tangible progress can be inspiring and rewarding.
However, sometimes we over-identity with our goals.
And because we do that, everything becomes a comparison to them.
It’s a constant reminder we aren’t where we want to be.
We delay our happiness until we achieve our goals.
The compromise is to create small goals along the journey.
Find the time to appreciate the small wins you have.
This way we can utilise the powerful psychological benefits of progress
whilst also serving as a way marker towards our bigger goals.
1 Quote
“Everyone is the best at being something, being themselves”
Simple but profound. We all are so caught up trying to model ourselves against other people.
“He’s the best at that”
“she’s the best at that
No one is going to be able to capture the true essence of yourself like you.
1 Idea
The way to get out of the competition trap is to be authentic, to find the thing you know how to do better than anybody – *Naval
We live in a capitalistic world where we believe in zero-sum games. For you to win, someone has to lose.
Everything becomes a competition and we become obsessed with comparing ourselves to other people.
Other people become the measuring stick of our lives and the ruler of our happiness.
To escape this trap, we should focus on authenticity.
We all have natural gifts, talents and obscurities that make us special.
From the way we think, create, work, connect and live – we are a unique blend of our genetics and upbringing.
We all have a set of skills that are specialised for certain areas. Most of our lives is spent trying to minimise our weaknesses.
The key to escaping comparison and the traps of zero-sum games is to go with what you’ve got.
Reflect: identify your passions, interests, skillsets and where this can play out for the long-term.
Embrace the uncertainty of not knowing how to materialise it.
This is all part of the journey. No-one can compete with your authentic self.
No one can beat you at being you, remember that.