WHERE DO YOU \u2018THINK\u2019 YOU SHOULD BE?<\/b><\/p>\n
Reflecting on our progress is something we all do, but often without knowing it. Whether we\u2019re aware of it or not, several times a day, we measure ourselves against something or someone\u2014be it our past self, others, or some societal ideal. Whether it\u2019s consciously deciding to check in on our progress, or doing so unconsciously, benchmarks are always being set.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These benchmarks could be internal or external, and they serve as a gauge of how well we\u2019re doing. And while there\u2019s a place for both, it’s important to consider where we are dropping our anchor.<\/span><\/p>\n Think of yourself as a boat on the open water. You can\u2019t always stay anchored in one spot, but sometimes it\u2019s important to drop anchor for stability. It\u2019s the same with how we measure our progress. We need to set benchmarks that reflect where we\u2019re at in the present, but also allow space for growth and movement. Just like the tide, our progress should be flexible and responsive, not static.<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to growth\u2014whether in your finances, personal life, or career\u2014it’s often healthier to focus on internal benchmarks. Internal benchmarks are the personal standards you set for yourself based on your own values, goals, and aspirations. It\u2019s not about comparing yourself to others, but recognising how far you\u2019ve come. External benchmarks, such as comparing your progress to others, can be helpful for some light perspective, but they can also leave us feeling frustrated or discouraged if we\u2019re not where we \u201cthink\u201d we should be.<\/span><\/p>\n Take the world of finance as an example. Let\u2019s say you compare the performance of your portfolio against a stock market index or the success of a financial influencer. These external benchmarks are fine for reference, but if you base your sense of success solely on these metrics, it can lead to disheartenment. For someone like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, billions in earnings or the sale of a company might be just another day at the office, but for most people, such achievements would be life-changing. If you measure your progress against others’ success, you’re missing the bigger picture of your own journey and unique goals.<\/span><\/p>\n Now, think back to the global disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. If we had only relied on our internal benchmarks, we might have felt overwhelmed by the sudden shift in our lives, believing we weren’t \u201cperforming\u201d as expected. But by considering the external context\u2014the worldwide crisis that affected nearly everyone\u2014we were able to adjust our expectations and take stock of how far we’d come despite the challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n And let\u2019s not forget how easy it is to be swayed by the success stories we see around us. Social media, news, and even friends and family can present a curated view of success, leaving out the behind-the-scenes struggles, setbacks, and failures. We tend to see the final achievements, not the daily grind it took to get there, which can distort our own sense of progress. It\u2019s important to remember that behind every success story, there\u2019s usually a lot of hard work and resilience that goes unseen.<\/span><\/p>\n So, when it comes to measuring your growth, take a step back and remember that a balanced approach is key. Internal benchmarks\u2014those tied to your own personal goals and values\u2014should be your primary reference point. Use external benchmarks as a lighter guide, but don’t let them define your progress. With this approach, you\u2019ll gain a more grounded and fulfilling perspective on how far you\u2019ve come, and more importantly, how far you\u2019re capable of going.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHERE DO YOU \u2018THINK\u2019 YOU SHOULD BE? Reflecting on our progress is something we all do, but often without knowing it. Whether we\u2019re aware of it or not, several times a day, we measure ourselves against something or someone\u2014be it our past self, others, or some societal ideal. Whether it\u2019s consciously deciding to check in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":206,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,28],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5760","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-blog","8":"category-market","10":"post-with-thumbnail","11":"post-with-thumbnail-large"},"yoast_head":"\n