Skip to main content

Comparision.

Comparison is a double-edged sword. On the one side, it makes us understand what we are missing and why. And that provides us with the drive to work hard. On the other side, it makes us constantly validate if we have or do what others have or are doing. There is a fine line between the two outcomes. And the outcome depends on our outlook and our nature.

The side that makes us understand why we are missing something that makes us better off. It shows us that there is hard work behind gaining what we desire. It tells us about the mindset of the go-getter attitude that is at the core of it. Importantly, such thinking helps us realize the steps that get us to where we want to be. 

When we act with this cognizance, we tend to have a fulfilling experience. Destination looks within reach. This principle is true everywhere in life, and at work. Fortunately, this side of the comparison is a ride on the softer side of the knife. It motivates us into action and provides a sense of direction.

The other side of the knife - the one that gets us into the realm of seeking validation - makes us feel the drag of something others have without understanding what their story was. We tend to overlook what got them there.

The other side of the comparison can be detrimental. It makes us run after what we don't have without realizing the efforts required and understanding whether some things really have a place in our lives.

Be careful of which side of the comparison you want to be on. The ride always turns out effortless. The drag? Experience it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Checks and balances!

Defining a good purpose, setting a target goal and getting people working on them is usually not enough! There are too many aspects involved in getting the results we want. For example, there is an aspect of painting the big picture, working on motivation management, productivity tracking, building experimentation labs, and erecting resilient systems that systematize the workflows. Just putting bodies to work and defining milestones rarely achieves the right results. The other aspects that help march towards the milestones in an orderly manner, they are equally important. At the very least, they make objectives widely understandable and results more attainable. The job of a thought leader is to enable progress and enable recovery. Therefore, it is never enough to have just ideas. Those with ideas also have the responsibility to assemble the work environment in such a way as to create situations containing the energy disperses. Energy dispersal from lack of clarity, loss of motivation, ...

Choking the communication channel.

There are instances where everything looks in order. Structures are rightly in place. Right roles are defined. Responsibilities are distributed. Bi-directional open communication is expected to take place. And with that, collective work is expected to turn out productive. Yet, when the action begins, everything breaks apart. Productivity dwindles, cooperation is missing, and ad-hoc interactions are common-place That creates chaos. No one appears in charge even though there is someone responsible. It clearly is a sign of broken communication channels. A well-orchestrated workplace focuses on methods to communicate grounds-up and top-down. It encourages patient listening, internalizing and responding rather than reacting. All effective open communication channels are a result of making such communication possible. Often, the structures are set such that you centralize communication of every bit of your activity to someone in the hierarchy. Over time it turns into a permission-based inter...

The hyacinth at the surface - nectar - just beneath!

The envy of comparison is an unconscious, quietly growing emotion, like water hyacinth spreading unnoticed on a pond's surface. It surrounds the nectar of the water, creating the illusion of poison. The water itself, however, is inherently sweet, with the nectar infused deeply within it. But just cast off the tangled trap of those creeping vines, and the water will reveal its true nature—flowing freely, tirelessly, with a sparkling clarity. Water’s existence, its entire journey, is one of cooperation, of giving endlessly with a pure heart.  Even in the face of numerous obstacles and thorns along its path, water remains undeterred—a divine miracle, no doubt, but one forged through relentless effort. Who notices this journey? Who understands it? Water has no respite—it constantly battles friction and wear. "Why is this thorny life my lot?" It may ask, as feelings of resentment, anger, jealousy, hatred, sorrow, and helplessness arise. Just when it seems trapped, its spirit s...