Sometimes, comparison feels really good.

You listen to someone share a poem at open mic night, and you think my work is better than that.

You listen to someone struggle through a work of music, and you think that was easy for me. You are standing on an emotional step ladder. You feel great.

But on the other side, comparison can make you feel bad about yourself.

Without a doubt, there is someone taller than you, faster than you, richer than you, cuter than you.

We don’t have to look very far to find someone who is better paid, more respected and getting more than his fair share of credit.

And social media: Of course there are people with more followers, more likes and more of just about anything you would like to measure.

So what?

What is the comparison for?

Is your job to be the most at a thing?

Just because a thing can be noticed, or compared, or stressed over does not mean it is important, or even relevant.

Better, I think, to decide what is important, what needs to change, what is worth accomplishing. And then ignore all comparisons that don’t relate.

A flower does not think of competing with the next flower, it just blooms. 

The most important comparison, in fact, is comparing your work to what you are capable of.

Sure, compare. But compare the things that matter to the journey you’re on. The rest is noise.