Art Of Comparison
How do you judge whelter you're doing better or not? When do you its feel ok? Or what ensures you keep chasing after more? We have always shifted focus, it's no longer about a standard, there are no standards anymore, it's all now pure competition and comparing to one another. A man loves his house, he is contended with the size and how it is, until he visits his friend with a much bigger one and suddenly doesn't see his home as okay anymore, he doesn't only want it as his friend has, he wants more. A lady gets dressed for a party, walking down the stairs everyone stands in awe, but on getting to the party, there is her friend looking more beautiful, stealing the attentions, automatically she doesn't feel beautiful anymore.
What's the standards for your success? how do you measure your wins or are you just measuring in comparison with the people around you. There's really no words I can type that would prevent you or anyone to stop being in a constant competition with his surrounding people, its actually a norm, though some who have learn to correct it, some have learnt not to care so they turn a blind eye, but its really hard. Simply because we only feel ourselves, so our emotions towards others are purely fictional, we can't really feel them, so why not feel what they feel for ourselves, why not feel what the king feels for yourself, so they love to seat on the kings throne also.
The dangers however is being blindsided to the process it took. Mostly we are overwhelmed by the finished work so we set our mark on that, regardless of what it took for him to get there and so it can be frustrating, indeed it may not be easy and possibly a waste of precious time. Your car is the dream of so many of your friends but as soon as another friend of you're buys a bigger car and everyone shifts the celebrations and hailing to him, you feel less in your car and suddenly start envisioning changing your ride for a bigger one and this sudden need would alter others plans that may end up procrastinated or totally forgotten.
Contentment is a virtue, anyone that truly possess it would live the best of life, remember the human wants are insatiable, it's never satisfied nor fulfilled yet we have a limited time to spend living, and for as long as our needs are mostly from our Comparison with people then we would never run out of things to acquire. For how long do we want to keep comparing rather than focus on ourselves and see what we should really be doing, so we can start laying budget base on fulfilling destiny and purpose, there is more fulfillment in knowing we are growing and it's our personal race.
Oh yes there are advantages to comparison, I'll be lying if I say there isn't, but it should be the possession or habits worth lonning after. Better we be comparing ourselves with people who are in the place we pray to be, people we look up to, it's good and even advisable we emulate and try to be like them cause they are up and trying to meet up with them would only mean growth and personal development, you see its quite different from comparing with someone who would add no impact to your life just trying to prove a worthless point.
There is a bridge from comparing to jealousy, and that is another side effect to be worried about. What makes this mode of comparison bad is that we can't tell the people we are comparing ourselves to that we are looking on to them, no rather we intend to hoard and hide our emotions so they won't suspect a thing., this slowly creeps into jealousy and possibly hatred especially when the person keeps increasing and making it visually impossible for you to meet up with is standing. But when it's a fair and harmless comparison, you could easily identify with the person or even be happy for his growth.
We compare ourselves a lot with others and that lays unnecessary pressures on us, we can do better by setting our standards for ourselves. There is nothing wrong with using a human as a standard but ensure he or she is worth it., and we may never know if the person is worth it or not until you hear it from the horses mouth. We always see the visible and bearable sides to all stories, they don't show us the struggle, the fights, the embarrassments and every hurdles they did face and are facing currently, all we see is the beautiful face and glorifying possession and we want it to, little we know about what we are diving into.
Simply put, be careful with comparison, take your time to plan your life and clear your own path using the right maps.
Hmmm, i don't know if it has something to do with " my being an introvert" that i don't care much about what"s happening with other peoples lives or achievements. I can't imagine the feeling of not being satisfied of what they have in life. I am living simply , with the basic. Of course i do have goals for my family for my kids but not for others to please nor compare. We don't have a grand house like my neighbor but i do feel peace and satisfaction when i'm home feeling relax and safe within it. Success should'nt be measured by other peoples standards, it should be within your own , they won't get it for you anyway so why bother to compare? i totally agree with everything that @Lixten said.