Comparison is a thief!

“We won't be distracted by comparison when we are captivated by purpose.” — Bob Goff

Is comparison a reflex for you?

By definition a reflex is an action that is performed as a response to a stimulus and without conscious thought.

In the case of the comparison I am referring to today, the stimulus is seeing people in places we think we want to be / should be, doing what we want to do, or having what we think we want to have. Sometimes we don't even realize we are comparing ourselves to someone or something that we wouldn't even look to for inspiration if we took enough of a beat and some time to think about what we actually want or who we want to be — and moreover our comparison is based on an illusion of what we think is really happening.

So often comparison can drive your dreams right off of a cliff because you can get so caught up in what has been possible for other people. Instead of doing what it takes to get there yourself, you get stuck in comparison.

Whether you are a stay at home mom, corporate CEO, entrepreneur and business owner, getting distracted by comparison while you're chasing someone else's purpose instead of living out your own can happen in a hurry. When you focus on what other people are doing and compare yourself to them, you get distracted — distracted from the purpose work that has been specifically designed for you.

In the book Persuade for Good they share this…

“Scripture says ‘comparison is the thief of joy’ and nothing could be more true. What is joy? Joy is your eternal flame, your steady encouragement, your hope for the future. When comparison takes place, that fire, encouragement, and hope seem to evaporate.”

You have a purpose that simply can't be compared to anyone else. You bring things to the table that no one else can possibly bring because YOU were created to do it, not them.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you know your purpose — you just need permission and encouragement to step into it and allow that purpose to drive how you serve people and live an intentional life without looking to the right or the left.

Living on purpose means doing what truly matters to you in alignment with your values and sharing what you are uniquely qualified and called to share with the people you are called to serve.

I can't tell you exactly what that means for you, but when you quiet the noise of comparison, explore your voice, and lean into it in a new way, you'll get closer and closer to what living on purpose means — and trust me, you'll know it when you feel it. The key is making the decision to do it. To allow yourself to move in the direction you are called to move without caring what the people to the right or left of you are doing.

In fact, you are so much better than comparison. When you find yourself leaning into comparison out of a reflex, I want to encourage you to think about what my dear friend and co-collaborator Amber Bibelheimer advises. She calls us to consider celebrating what other people are doing instead of comparing ourselves with them. Doesn't celebrating others feel so good? Isn't it FUN?

I would love to be there to see your eyes light up (and maybe even tear up) when your purpose becomes more evident than ever — when you experience permission to put your purpose out there without looking to the right or the left anymore. Here is your permission.

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