#Ask Jaquie
Behind every overnight success story there’s gloomy selfdoubt in pyjamas, writes
Ithink it’s only natural to compare ourselves to people we know, but often it can leave us feeling bad about ourselves, and that’s no good.
Whatever area of our lives we look at, there is always someone we perceive to be doing it better, or having more success.
But when it comes to our careers, comparisons can sting a little more. Particularly if we feel we’re not where we want to be. The world seems cruel and turned against us when we are in a low mood and the exact opposite is true when things are going well. I think we all know this.
I have spent the past year taking a break from TV and following my dream of writing film and television. It’s funny how what you focus on becomes your reality and things you’d never have noticed before are suddenly flashing neon in your face.
But what I’ve been telling myself lately, and I think it can be applied to all jobs and areas of life – and forgive me because I’m going ‘‘Deep-Oprah’’ on you – is that ‘‘they are on their path and I am on mine’’. Once you get that locked in, the pressure and the comparisons can leave.
We hear about ‘‘overnight’’ successes but when you actually look a bit deeper, these overnight successes have taken decades to make their mark. We’ve just never heard about them when they were at home in the pyjamas doubting themselves (because only a fool would write about that…)
When friends become successful, it’s actually a wonderful thing because I tell myself that if they can do it, maybe I can too. Comparison is pointless unless you can spin it into something positive.
So I’m trying to take these things and turn them into motivation to keep going rather than feeling defeated. I believe there is room for all of us and we all have something unique to say.
There is room for all of us and we all have something unique to say.