Never compare – always connect. Use the methods of those whom you admire as an impetus for furthering your own goals.
As my husband and I raised our young family featuring 2 boys, I was determined to make them feel significant and affirm them so that they would become humble but confident men. I often said to each of them before they left for school in the morning, “I love you. You’re the greatest!” One day my eldest son who must have been around 8 at the time, pointed his finger at his brother and asked, “Mommy, if I’m the greatest, how can he be the greatest too?” I chuckled at his ability to reason and compare. But then recognizing the potential for future sibling rivalry, which I absolutely think is unacceptable, I responded by saying, “Being the greatest doesn’t mean you have to be the best, it means you have to be your best.”
“Being the greatest doesn’t mean you have to be the best, it means you have to be your best.”
When we understand this concept it immediately takes the ugly burden of comparing ourselves to others away and allows us to move through life at our own pace and manifest our own success stories in our own time. It allows us to look at our sisters [and brothers] and celebrate their successes while still enjoying the process of life and becoming the very best version of ourselves. Never compare – always connect. Use the methods of those whom you admire as an impetus for furthering your own goals.
The epitome of success is in balancing our reputation with our character in positive ways. It’s in knowing that our good nature rest in the hearts of those who know and love us. Although material possessions and futile striving eventually pass away, our power remains because we are remembered. We are still influential, still inspiring, still contagious, so that we are still fostering meaningful relationships. In effect, the goodness of our reputation and character deems us immortal.