Everybody is at a different level, so only keep score with yourself.
Whether it be physical fitness, emotional fitness, or practical working knowledge, everyone is at a different level. Some people are just starting, and some are at their peak. When you compare yourself with others, all you do is set yourself up for some kind of disappointment.
People can provide a benchmark for you or be an example of what, or what not, to do but the only person you should be keeping score with is yourself. Every one of us is different and at different levels, hopefully striving to be the best that we can.
Having a guide and a mentor is one thing, but comparing ourselves to somebody who is already reaching their goals when we have not is another. A mentor is someone we can learn from and who will teach us how to succeed. Comparing ourselves only sets us up for disappointment because we have not yet succeeded where they have.
To keep score with oneself, you must know where you are going. We must have a specific goal or idea of what we want and then break that goal down into actionable items. It doesn’t matter if you are starting a new job or getting into better physical shape.
Your goals must be reasonable, specific, measurable, and within reach. If you need to lose 100 pounds, you don’t say that it will happen in four weeks. It took longer than that to put on, and it will take work and discipline to take it off over several months. The idea is to set an attainable goal like taking off 10 pounds every 3 to 4 weeks. Doing this allows us to reach our goal and build some new healthier habits along the way, habits that can be sustained moving forward.
When we set a series of attainable and measurable goals for ourselves, we can then keep track to determine how we are progressing. This is where you want to keep score and know how you are doing. Are you progressing as you expected? Do you need to make any changes because you’re running into roadblocks? Is there something new you need to learn?
When you achieve your smaller goals, celebrate your success. Ensure that you are growing or improving and are getting closer to where you want to be. Then move on and keep going.
There will always be others who are ahead of us or behind us. Don’t put yourself above or below anyone. Set your own bar, and when you reach it, raise it to the next level.
Make sure to stretch yourself, within reason, as you go. This ensures that you are moving forward and not just dialling it in. It is easy to make it look like we are trying without really putting in any effort just so we can say it’s too hard, or we can’t do it’. Don’t create or give yourself a reason for failure. Make a commitment and then be all in.
You are your best benchmark. Always remember that everybody is at a different level.
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