# Comparing Yourself to Who You Were Yesterday Can Be Harmful
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Chapter 1: The Myth of Self-Competition
People often advise against comparing yourself to others, highlighting the unfairness of such comparisons due to varying starting points in life. What may be easy for one individual could be a significant challenge for another. Some are fortunate to have opportunities that seem unimaginable to others. Instead, the common suggestion is to measure progress against who you were yesterday. However, this approach can also be detrimental.
It's crucial to recognize that you are not in competition with your past self; rather, you are part of the same team.
The pressure to constantly improve can be a heavy burden. Life is a rollercoaster—some days you feel in control, while on others, you're overwhelmed. Striving for self-betterment is admirable, but forcing yourself to outdo your previous efforts can lead to burnout.
Section 1.1: The Pressure to Always Improve
Life's journey is filled with ups and downs. Although the desire to advance is natural, the relentless pressure to outperform yesterday’s achievements can be exhausting. Many people, myself included, have fallen into this trap. The unending drive for improvement can be harmful, causing emotional and physical exhaustion.
It's essential to acknowledge that life is rarely linear. We often take detours, make mistakes, and sometimes need to backtrack to find our way. Our priorities, goals, and motivations are ever-changing. What appears to be a setback might actually be a necessary step in our personal growth.
Subsection 1.1.1: Understanding Non-Linear Progress
Section 1.2: Defining Yesterday
What aspirations did you have as a child? How unrealistic were those dreams? Whether you wished to be a star athlete, an astronaut, or a social media influencer, the reality of achieving such goals is often far more complex than we anticipated.
As we grow and gain knowledge, our perspectives naturally evolve. There's a frustrating movie trope where an older character reflects on their life and feels judged by their younger self, often leading to disappointment. But why should we allow that judgment to affect us?
If your younger self criticizes your current situation, it’s not a fair assessment. The truth is, life presents an abundance of choices, and we must be selective about which paths to pursue. Our limited time means we have to prioritize wisely.
Chapter 2: Life as a Collaborative Journey
Life should not be viewed as a race; instead, consider it a journey where the path taken is often more significant than the end goal. The dynamic between your current self and your past self is akin to a relay race, where each day, the baton is passed along.
Some days will leave you feeling drained, especially after a particularly productive period. Recovery is vital, and pushing through exhaustion can be counterproductive. By planning ahead, we can alleviate future burdens on ourselves.
If we shift our mindset to see ourselves as a collective team working toward a common goal, we can achieve far more without feeling overwhelmed. Embracing this perspective can lead to more sustainable progress and improved mental well-being.