TO COMPARE OR NOT COMPARE ...

Once we start down the road of comparing ourselves to others - we are setting ourselves up for an unhappy experience. There will always be others more successful than ourselves at some facet of life ... so the exercise of comparison always defaults to a feeling of inadequacy in some shape or form - so I am very weary of it.
There is also that type of person that 'compares' and then resents those who do better ... although 'sad'; it is undeniably a very, very common human trait. Consider this quote from ancient Greek philosopher Thucydides ...

“Mankind are tolerant of the praises of others as long as each hearer thinks that he can do as well or nearly as well himself, but, when the speaker rises above him, jealousy is aroused and he begins to be incredulous.”

Someone wise once told me the same thing - but in simpler form: "people don't mind you being successful as long as you're not more successful than they are" ... at the time - I didn't beleive him ...

Of course - not all 'comparisons' are toxic ... comparing methodologies, processes, etc - is a very powerful learning tool - one that I employ all the time.

It's just wise practise to know the difference between 'healthy comparison' and 'toxic comparison' ... certainly, we all need to look to others for inspiration - I have always been so inclined. - JBW