27. Comparison is not only the thief of joy, but a murderer too.

From the age of 12 to 18, I went to a school where the motto was “nothing but the best is good enough” which is a lie in itself because the majority of the students it churned out were sub-par to say the very least. But I remember looking at the white text on navy blue metal signage and thinking how disheartening it all was – especially when it was such a damn lie.

To determine what the best might mean to you, you have to get over the notion of what has been fed to us as “the best” and what that all means: the highest paid, the most successful, the strongest, the prettiest, the smartest means nothing if everyone’s after it too; there’s no logic behind thinking in superlatives.

You’ll notice too much of a comparison of the genders, ages and races which in the grand scheme of things is really small minded – if you care to look at all, you’ll see we’re all different for a reason. Learn to make the best of your differences and shine as you’re meant to, not how you think you should. There is no better feeling than becoming your own idea of best.

I think it’s easy to pit one thing against another to determine which is better – far too easy. And it’s such an insensitive concept when it involves real people. There’s constant reliance on competition which is draining society beyond its means. Why? Because it’s the barrier preventing so many even trying anything in the first place. Comparison is not only a thief, but a murderer too.

Such comparison is somewhat inescapable these days; everyone’s lives are plastered all over social media. Be mindful of the content you’re engaging with because even subconscious comparison interferes with how you engage with yourself. The best thing I ever did was place myself in a category of my own, in which I’m in no position to be compared to anyone else but my previous self.

Nobody has lived the exact way you have, your path – though guided – is completely unique and yours to explore. This way, your self-value is not determined by others. Understand that though an ideology may be pushed onto you from young, it doesn’t always mean that it’s correct – even when it’s presented in thick white text on a metal sign outside a place that broke so many people before they were even fully formed. I hated my high school, if you couldn’t already tell.

As long as you know you’re doing your best then that should be all that matters, always, since there’s absolutely zero point in wishing more of yourself when you are doing everything you can – there’s tranquility in that – find that, and success will find you.

“The best thing I ever did was place myself in a category of my own, in which I’m in no position to be compared to anyone else but my previous self.”