Should You Compare Yourself To Others?
Article Round-Up: 2.4.24
Enjoy this week’s curated round-up of articles, podcasts, and more from the web to help you live a healthier, happier life.
Before we dive in…
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Featured Thoughts: Social Comparison Theory
Why You Secretly Compare Yourself To Others: The Hidden Force That Controls Your Self Worth
Takeaway: Social Comparison Theory, first introduced by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 50s, says that “we determine much of our social and personal value based on how our skills, opinions, and emotional reactions stack up against our peers.”
There’s a fine line to walk here…
On the downside, we can fall into emotional and existential turmoil comparing ourselves to people we perceive as “having it all.”
On the upside, being surrounded by smart, productive, inspiring people can push us to elevate our own abilities and surpass what we believe we can achieve.
The main differentiator between the good and bad: Can you talk to the people who you might perceive as “better” but whom you look up to?
We can wrongfully assume someone, like a celebrity or online personality, might “have it all” without the same struggles as us because we only see a curated part of their life.
Being surrounded by inspiring people—even those who might have achieved more than you—and having the ability to see the more complete picture of their life can help humanize them.
When we see the struggles and hardships of life play out in the most successful of people, we feel less like we’re comparing against a deity and realize they’re human like the rest of us.
We can be inspired by their achievements instead of intimidated by them.
Published This Week:
Why Hiding Your Insecurities Is Only Making Them Worse
Takeaway: Insecurity is universal but trying to hide it only makes it worse. Accepting your flaws and imperfections is liberating. Aim to be authentic and true to yourself.
20 Weird Contradictions About Life
Takeaway: Sometimes things aren’t always as they seem. In fact, sometimes things are the exact opposite. That is certainly true of these 20 paradoxes of life. Sahil Bloom covers topics of intelligence, fears, advice, and other topics related to love, happiness, business, and more. A list well worth reading.
Reader Question:
I never feel motivated to do home workouts. It feels so much easier to procrastinate. How can I overcome this feeling and get motivated to do exercise at home on busy days?
We aren’t all cut out for home workouts. Some of us prefer the gym environment. That doesn’t mean that, on some occasions, you'll have to buckle up and get it done at home because life threw you a curve ball.
For those who struggle to get motivated to exercise at home, I find it usually stems from asking the wrong question.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel better—physically and mentally—after exercise when compared to no exercise.
The people that struggle to substitute a home workout for their normal gym routine get stuck asking:
Gym Workout vs Home Workout
This is the wrong question.
Of course the idea of a gym workout will win every time, and this leaves us feeling defeated, frustrated, and unmotivated to do the lesser of the two.
Ask this question instead:
Home Workout vs No Workout
When we get stuck doing a home workout, it isn’t because we truly have time to go to the gym. Quite the opposite. Asking “gym vs home” is an unfair comparison because if the gym were truly an option the question wouldn’t exist.
“Home vs None” is a more accurate reflection of the situation. Knowing you’ll feel worse without any exercise, the home exercise feels a little more motivating—a way to avoid the surefire regret of not moving your body.
Change how you ask yourself the question to boost home workout motivation.
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