Comparing Ourselves
When we compare ourselves to other people, we always pick those with whom we have a connection or similarity. For instance when we look at our career, we look at the people around us, like colleagues. We usually don’t compare ourselves with a far away miner in China or to Bill Gates.
In this day and age we live more and more in some kind of meritocracy. Which means that if you have the talent and skill you will get where you want. But, as Alain de Botton puts it so nicely, it also implies that when you don’t deserve it, you’ll go to the bottom and stay there.
Measuring ourselves is something most of us do on a regular basis. When we see a coworker getting a promotion or praise we often feel envy. We want to be the best and have the most because we want to be respected and have a feeling of importance.
But do we need to feel important in order to be happy? It seems like we start to look more and more for instant success or happiness. This resembles taking drugs. It means that we always need our next fix.
Are you looking for your next fix of happiness?