Several years ago, my friend, Mark LeBlanc, introduced me to several traps that people can fall into that block potential. One of those traps is the comparison trap, and I fell in head first.
Over the weekend, I registered for a photography course in hopes of taking my hobby to the next level. But after seeing some of the current work of fellow students, I allowed myself to fall into the comparison trap. I began to compare my photos with their work. I found myself feeling discouraged because “my photos aren’t as good as their photos.”
However, a wise person, my wife, quickly pulled me out of the trap when she reminded me why I was taking the course. She went on to say that I had an advantage over the others because I had more potential for improvement and I would benefit more from the course than the others would. I could earn the title “Most Improved.” I’m still wondering if there was a hidden message there.
When we compare ourselves with others, we run the risk of giving up, not taking a risk, and never realizing our full potential. How sad to never know what you are capable of doing.