Do you sometimes feel like you are comparing yourself to others and their achievements? Most of us do this unconsciously, but why should we learn to become aware and modify our behaviour?

Self-comparison - motivator or inhibitor?

Self-comparison can be positive, so that through comparison we get more motivation to do what we do. It is as if we admire the other person and their achievements, which makes us look for ways to achieve our own goals. On the other hand, self-comparison can cause feelings of inadequacy, making us envious of the other person's achievements and unable to focus fully on our own goals.

As a golden rule, we could think that if we try to keep our eyes on our own goals and sources of motivation, we will certainly go a long way. Progress will always happen if we allow it to happen. This is as true in the gym as it is in other areas of life. After all, the only person we need to evolve for is ourselves. That way we can share our own well-being with others. Listed below are two common forms of self-comparison. Can you identify your own behaviour from these?

1. Comparing ourselves to others

It's easy to compare your own achievements or traits with the people around you - we all do it sometimes. When you find yourself comparing yourself to others, remind yourself where you are going and how much you have achieved so far. Think about what you can do in this moment to reach your goals. Maybe you can use the success of others as a motivating factor. Everyone is on their own path, and often we only see a glimpse of others and don't know how much effort they have put into their achievements or what they are going through.

2. Comparing our current self with our old self

Often, in our minds, we go back to what we did or were able to do years or days ago. This can be very motivating - we know we can do it and we are willing to put in the effort to achieve our goals. On the other hand, it can also be discouraging if we feel inadequate because of our current situation. In this case, we need to remind ourselves that what we had before is not so relevant to what we have now. Only this moment matters.

Remember why you do what you do, whether it's a lifestyle change or learning a new skill. Write down the answer for yourself and return to it on days when you find that comparing yourself is eating away at your motivation. We all have our strengths and, as we develop our weaknesses, we find endless opportunity to improve.