Most things of value take a lot of work.
First, we have to decide to do something. Changing our mind takes a lot of work.
Then, we have to start. Overcoming inertia takes a lot of work.
Then, we’re motivated. We’re starting to see some progress, and it’s exciting.
But then it gets hard. And boring. And we don’t see as many results as we did in the beginning. All we see is how much work it is, and how much further away the goal seems.
So we try to hang in there with willpower. But it gets harder and harder.
When it gets hard, we look around to see if other people are having a hard time.
But all we see is their results. They’re doing better than us. They’re getting the results we want.
We get discouraged. We feel like we’ll never get to our goal.
We want to give up. It’s not fair that we have to work so hard, and other people are already where we want to be.
So we spiral downward. And we give up.
Again.
Here’s the problem:
We’re comparing our journey with their results.
We’re comparing our middle with their end.
We overlook the tough journey they went through to get those results.
We’re comparing the back of the stage with the front of the stage. We forget that when we’re watching an amazing stage production, there’s a lot of chaos going on behind the curtain.
Comparison is deadly – usually because we’re comparing the wrong things.
Are you feeling discouraged in your progress? Does it feel like you’ll never reach your goal? Is the journey just getting too hard?
Don’t compare the middle of your journey with the end of somebody else’s journey.
They were exactly where you are while they worked toward their goal. They felt the pain, the discouragement, the frustration. They wanted to give up.
But they didn’t give up. That’s why they reached their goal.
Don’t give up.
Don’t compare.
Hang in there.
You’ll get there if you keep moving. And when you do, you’ll be able to compare success with others – because you both remember the journey.
So, what’s the next small step that will move you ahead in your journey today?