No, comparison is not always bad; it is a natural human tendency with both
positive and negative potential outcomes. The effect of comparison depends
entirely on how it is used and the mindset of the person doing the
comparing.
The Positive Aspects of Comparison
When approached with a growth mindset, comparison can be a powerful tool
for self-improvement and motivation.
Inspiration and Motivation: Observing others' successes can demonstrate
that greater achievements are possible, providing a blueprint or a role
model to follow in pursuit of your own goals.
Self-Evaluation and Learning: Comparison helps us to gauge where we stand
in a specific area (e.g., in a sport, at work, or academically) and
identify our strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness is essential for
targeted improvement.
Healthy Competition: In a constructive environment, comparison can foster
healthy competition that pushes everyone involved to work harder and
achieve more.
Gratitude: Comparing your situation with those who are less fortunate can
foster a sense of gratitude for what you have, improving overall
contentment and appreciation for your life.
The Negative Aspects of Comparison
Comparison becomes detrimental when it is excessive, unfair, or stems from
a place of insecurity, often leading to mental health challenges.
Lowered Self-Esteem and Confidence: Constantly measuring yourself against
others, particularly their "highlight reels" on social media, often leads
to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and a belief that you are not good
enough.
Jealousy and Resentment: Unhealthy comparison can breed envy toward others
and resentment toward yourself, which strains relationships and creates
emotional barriers.
Distorted Reality: Negative comparison often involves comparing your
"insides" (your full range of struggles and flaws) with other people's
"outsides" (only what they choose to present), leading to a skewed and
unrealistic perception of reality.
Stifled Uniqueness: Focusing too much on being like others can cause you to
lose sight of your own unique path, talents, and potential, hindering
personal growth and fulfillment.
The crucial distinction lies in the mindset. Use comparison as a tool for
inspiration and self-improvement (comparing your present self to your past
self, or learning from role models), not as a yardstick to measure your
inherent self-worth against others.
Comparing yourself to others is a psychological phenomenon rooted
in Social Comparison Theory, which states that people determine their own
worth and abilities by evaluating themselves against others. While this can
sometimes be a healthy way to find motivation, it often leads to negative
feelings like inadequacy, low self-esteem, and jealousy. This cycle is
intensified by social media, which often shows curated, one-dimensional
versions of others' lives, making comparisons a frequent source of anxiety
and depression. When individuals compare themselves to others as a way of
measuring their personal development or to motivate themselves to improve
and, in the process, develop a more positive self-image, comparisons can be
beneficial. It takes discipline, however, to avoid the pitfalls of negative
comparison. In large part, how we react to comparisons depends on who we
compare ourselves to: When we just want to feel better about ourselves, we
tend to engage in comparisons to people worse off than we are, although
this can become an unhealthy habit. When we want to improve, though, we may
compare ourselves to people roughly similar to us but higher achieving in
one trait or another.
How can comparison help you?
Social comparison can be highly beneficial when people use social networks
to push themselves. In a study, friendly competition was highly effective
in pushing people to exercise more, as peers pushed each other to keep up
and do more. In such a "social ratchet effect," each person’s activity
generates more activity among others. Social networks in which people
simply offered each other positive encouragement were far less helpful.
Is it better to compare yourself to those doing better or worse than you
are?
People generally engage in either upward or downward comparisons. In upward
comparisons, we compare ourselves with those we believe are better than us
in some way; in downward comparisons, we do the opposite. Research,
unsurprisingly, finds that downward comparisons make us feel better about
ourselves, but that there are dangers to each approach—insecurity and
jealousy, or overconfidence and arrogance.
KRISHNA DID IT:
सम: शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयो: |
शीतोष्णसुखदु:खेषु सम: सङ्गविवर्जित: || 18||
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् |
अनिकेत: स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नर: || 19||12
samah shatrau cha mitre cha tatha manapamanayoh
shitoshna-sukha-duhkheshu samah sanga-vivarjitah
tulya-ninda-stutir mauni santushto yena kenachit
aniketah sthira-matir bhaktiman me priyo narah
BG 12.18-19: Those, who are alike to friend and foe, equipoised in honor
and dishonor, cold and heat, joy and sorrow, and are free from all
unfavorable association; those who take praise and reproach alike, who are
given to silent contemplation, content with what comes their way, without
attachment to the place of residence, whose intellect is firmly fixed in
Me, and who are full of devotion to Me, such persons are very dear to Me.
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् |
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकर: || 35||8
brihat-sama tatha samnam gayatri chhandasam aham
masanam marga-shirsho ’ham ritunam kusumakarah
BG 10.35: Amongst the hymns in the Samaveda know me to be the Brihatsama;
amongst poetic meters I am the Gayatri. Of the twelve months of the Hindu
calendar I am Margsheersh, and of seasons I am spring, which brings forth
flowers.
Many high value were compared in several slokas in chap 8 So comparison is
good or bad only when people do them out of envy Healty comparison is
vital. K Rajaram IRS 131125
On Thu, 13 Nov 2025 at 05:58, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> *Daily Affirmations For Positive Thinking*
> I don’t compare myself to others. The only person I compare myself to is
> the person I was yesterday. And as long as the person I am today is even
> the tiniest bit better than the person I was yesterday, I’m meeting my own
> definition of success.One small positive thought in the morning can
> change my whole day. So, today I rise with a powerful thought to set the
> tone and allow success to reverberate through every moment of my day.
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZopyJ_bNstxvNp-_Lh7xqK8KtfN2_nM1zg1x%2BAmih0vqjw%40mail.gmail.com.
