Stay Motivated 7: Don’t compare yourself to others.

7. Don’t compare yourself to others.  Sometimes I look at someone else and think “you know, no matter how hard I work out I am never going to look like that.”  That’s not always a bad thing – I don’t want to be as swole as some dudes, so it’s not particularly de-motivating.  Other times, it is.  Sometimes I look at all the fit, good-looking people and think that I will never look as good as they do.  “So why bother at all?” comes the little voice in my head.  “You’ll never look as good as they do so why bother trying?  Just enjoy eating whatever you want and sleeping instead of getting up to work out.  It’s pointless anyway.”

If and when you find yourself thinking that way – ignore it.  You’re trying to get fit because you want a change in your own life.  You’re not happy with your situation.  You need to be happy with yourself in relation to yourself – not in relation to others. It goes back to the reasons you’re doing this – are you working out to look better than anyone else?  Or are you working out to look better than you currently do?  Are you working out to have bigger broceps than that guy curling 150lb dumbbells, or are you working out to be healthy and live longer?  You’ve got to know why you’re doing what you’re doing so you can stop the comparison game.  Just worry about yourself.