JKLTip Focus on your progress and remember everyone is somewhere in the middle
This may be the most reassuring piece of goal setting advice on the planet. You won’t be the first, or the last and you won’t be the best, or the worst. If you choose the top ten things you would like to be when you grow up, what are they? When you think of those big dream skills, no matter what they are, your skills when compared to others, are somewhere in the middle.
When we attempt to build confidence we often do so within our tiny social bubbles. We compare ourselves to loved ones, to friends, or to people we know from school and work. We look at Jimmy who is the fastest runner, or Karen who has the best salary and feel we are less. But remember they too are somewhere in the middle.
There are many, many faster and more successful than then. And, when we aren’t comparing ourselves to those near us, we look to the big celebrity gurus.
We look at the artists who can commission paintings for millions, athletes, or gamers who win world championships, and those who were millionaires at sixteen. But, if we go away from the outliers of success in terms of rank-ordered abilities, we all lie somewhere in the middle. And, even still, those at the top can continue to set learning goals.
What To Do About It?
If we can simply focus on our own progress we will sense tremendous change. Realizing that we will make gains and build confidence, but still be somewhere in the middle can help us build confidence very quickly.
Before you set out to chase your big dreams and goals remember this one thing.
You won’t be first, last, best, or worst, because you’ll be somewhere in the middle. Of the near 8 Billion people on the planet how many are above and below you in terms of ability? And, this is only if we include mother Earth. Imagine if we included the entire universe, then where would we rank?
*Come Write A Guest Post: 8 Billion People
** Read Why Just Keep Learning: JKL Post