My mom once told me that “comparison is the thief of joy.”
Actually, that’s a lie. She’s told me this dozens of times, and it’s something I’ve retold myself over a hundred times and relayed to my peers twofold. It’s also kind of funny, me being a Crooke and all. However, these six words are more relevant today than they ever have been before. Comparison IS the thief of joy.
These days, we’re not so much worried about keeping up with the neighborhood Jones family. With Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, we can now see inside the glass houses of the Jacksons, Jetsons, and Jenkins all across the globe. If anything, these glass houses only make their onlookers more fragile. As Insta stars and Twitter birds display tiny snapshots of their lives for worldwide viewers to obsess over, we come to find out that the glass houses we observe are actually obscure … even more obscure than the curtained windows that dress the Jones family home.
What you don’t see from these Insta stars and Twitter birds are the struggles they continually overcome to achieve their goals. You don’t see all their rejections, all their missteps, and all their pain. You only see their smiles, trophies, and podium finishes. When you compare yourself to these limited and intentionally selected messages, two things can happen: 1) you look at your own circumstances negatively, and allow that negativity to cascade into your mentality and future pursuits, OR 2) you look at the star’s shining achievement, and are temporarily motivated to reach your goals … but once you hit your next obstacle, you give up because you never actually saw all the tears and broken blood vessels behind that star’s achievement.
Motivation doesn’t last. Inspiration doesn’t last. They’re temporary. And they’re external. Since your external is always temporary, you will falter if you rely on external influence to sustain your pursuits.
Discipline lasts. Discipline builds your habits every day. Your habits shape your behavior, skill set, and opportunities. Like Jerry Rice said, “Today I will do what others won’t so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” Discipline is a mental choice, which means that it is internally driven and totally under your control. Discipline lasts longer than anything in your external environment, and actually shapes your external environment.
Discipline is NOT instant gratification. Discipline is NOT easy. Discipline is NOT achieved by navigating Instagram.
Discipline is a path to your long-term vision. You must craft every stone along your path. If you’re holding your phone and checking out the latest tweets, you won’t be able to carve your next stone. You need two hands for your crafting, and you can guarantee that those Insta stars’ hands are unable to assist you.
Comparison is the thief of joy. The thief of discipline. The thief of self-reliance. Your mindset and thoughts drive your discipline, which drives your habits, which drive your behavior, which drive your results. Don’t let Instagram and Facebook steal your joy. Let discipline be your joy. Be joyful in your daily stone crafting. This joy transcends to the completion of your path. The completion of your goals. And maybe then, you’ll truly understand that the pebbles in each stone were the true sources of joy all along.
