“Stop telling yourself you’re not qualified, not worthy, or not experienced enough.  Growth happens when you start doing the things you’re not qualified to do”.    Steven Bartlett.

Steven has a podcast that is so worth listening to (Diary of a CEO).  It is the questions that he asks and his own personal insights that offer great wisdom.

This week he was talking to Matthew Hussey, who evoked the idea of seeing our lives like a basked of ingredients.  Each person’s basket is very different, some much better than others.  HOWEVER, it is our role as the ‘chef’ that determine’s as to the deliciousness of the end result.  It is up to us to create something out of what we have – and the more we just keep comparing our baskets with others, the more we are stuck and then not creating.  

In the life situation this might equate to: the school that you went to; the personalities of your family that were either good or bad for you; some have great opportunities earlier in life and they said ‘yes’ to them; others have had few and have struggled.  I don’t know what your exact situation has been, but what I do know is that you  are so able to produce something very interesting and needed by others. 

So, with regards to comparison.  Comparison does not help.  It is a time waster because where are at where we are at – it is what it is.  Comparison really is the greatest thief of joy.  And yet, it is so so easy to look at others and see our selves as just not enough.  It is so easy to belittle our own lives.  I know that I do this and even though I know that it is just our minds protecting us and giving us the excuse to wallow in indifference, it really is or mind playing tricks on us.  It is not that I want you to be ‘Polly Anna’ish’ about your life, but rather I want you to know that you have it in you to do SOMETHING that is of great worth.  

So – it is what we do with what we have that makes the difference.  You might have a basket that is overflowing with opportunities and good fortune but it does not mean that you have made the most of things (yet!).  You might have a basket of disappointments and setbacks but yet you are using that as fuel to realise something worthwhile ……

So, when you sense that you are comparing yourself … remind yourself that though your ‘basket of ingredients’ may not be as you would prefer it to look like, you will have some assets that others do not have and also it is your approach to your basket that matters – it is what you put into it that determines how the end product of your initial ingredients will look like.  What can you do today that you will be pleased to have done?  What kind of energy do you want to show up with today?  What can you do today, despite what is going on, that shifts you out of the ‘goo’?  What are you your excited about starting?  … just start!  

Do listen to the podcast interview:  The Diary of a CEO, Episode 142.