To Become Better

To become better, should suffer from feeling not-better via Julie Zhuo ---- The art of comparison in 2 simple rules: 1) If you want to *become* better: benchmark yourself against the best. 2) If you want to *feel* better: benchmark yourself against those worse off than you. Mastering this requires great personal honesty re: your current mental state. Too much of 1) when your mental state is already negative, and you spiral into unproductive anxiety and burnout. Instead, strive for gratitude for what you have, what you've already achieved, and the path you're climbing. Too much of 2) when your ego is already robust, and your growth will stall because you start coasting. Instead, put yourself in the company of those who excel, and they'll motivate you to strive for more also. -- Many commenters have brought up a third way: benchmark yourself against yourself. I agree this is healthiest, especially in non-zero-sum situations (which is most skills you learn in life--ie, improving collaboration / relationships, side passions or hobbies, even learning to learn). But it's not feasible to ignore benchmarks when you play to win in a competitive arena, because winning requires understanding the other players and their strategies.