“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid” Albert Einstein
If you have ever compared yourself to others and felt you don’t measure up, that makes you a human being. Everyone, including high achieving individuals feels like this at some point and it can lead on to Impostor syndrome a term coined by psychologists in the 1970s whereby people develop an inability to feel comfortable with their accomplishments and hold a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.
Comparing yourself to others only has the effect of driving down self-esteem.
What I have noticed about working with people and their inner thoughts is that they often spend a disproportionate amount of time focusing on their weaknesses, compared to focusing on their positive traits. There is always a positive way to look at a situation and positive thinking breeds yet more positivity. The thoughts that you think, the way you talk to yourself – these are the mental equivalent of physical possessions within your home. You are in control of these thoughts, just as much as you are in control of physical items. You can choose to decide whether these thoughts are adding value to your life or not and you are in control of whether they deserve a place in your head. Trite as it sounds, with practice, you can declutter negative, unhelpful thoughts and get into the habit of celebrating your strengths.
Once you identify your strengths, you can ensure you work towards them. Focus on what you’re good at and outsource or ask for help regarding the areas where you aren’t as strong. This simple technique is the most effective way to be the best version of yourself.
Thank you so much for reading!
A Tidy Mind