The Distraction of Comparison

What makes you lose focus?

If we know and understand our assignment (read this) then the best thing we can do is to stay focused on completing it. But as humans, we know that we are easily distracted and fickle at least sometimes! So what is it that gets in the way of your success? What makes you lose focus?

I see many people losing focus when they become competitive, and begin to compare themselves and their assignments to others. And there has never been a time where it has been easier to compare ourselves with others. If we are even on one social media platform, we can’t help but be keenly aware of how our friends, families, rivals and even strangers are doing in life. We’re so connected with others and their success, which society measures by money and numbers, the ‘likes’ our pictures get and the views from our videos. But the truth is that these things should only matter to us if they are part of our assignment.

Plus, what we see on social media rarely reflects the truth. No one shares their messy moments and failures openly. The beach vacation, that expensive car…could even be photoshopped.

Sometimes, I look at other people with similar assignments that have different kinds of success. Rick Warren, for example, has had fantastic success as a pastor, gaining fame, respect and ever-growing numbers in his church— even during COVID! However, his assignment is not mine and I shouldn’t compare myself to him. He is still doing his assignment well and with integrity, and all I need do is cheer him on as I focus on what I am meant to be doing.

When we feel insecure in our assignment, we can reflect on the following questions:

Reflection Questions

What distracts me from my assignment?
What are the voices in my life that are confusing my assignment and causing me to measure success incorrectly?
Who can I talk to about this? What has helped me regain focus in the past?