In a world where comparisons happen non-stop, it is difficult to look outside yourself and to
ever be content with who you are. There's always someone who's a bit better. The only solution
is to reach insid
e and measure against what Warren Buffett calls your own inner yardstick. There
is no more accurate measure for comparison than who you were yesterday, last week or last
decade, when you were at your best.
Nothing useful ever comes from comparison to others. Either you see yourself as better than
someone and you get lazy, or you see someone else as better than you and you feel like all your
hard work is for nothing. It is a fool's game. None of us are inherently above or below the person
next to us. We are who we are. Not one of us is exactly alike. The only direct and honest
comparison is within yourself. Everything else is apples to oranges.
My opinion is that you are only allowed to compare yourself to someone else if their life situation
is the same as your own. Good luck finding that match. And one thing is for sure. No matter how
hard you work and how dedicated you are, there will always be someone who can run a little faster,
jump a little higher, score a little better or look a little nicer in a swimsuit. And if there's not, you can
bet someone is coming up fast behind you. So how can you always win in life? Become your best
competitor.
The following are the reasons why you are your own best competitor
.
1. You will always be motivated.
Having an image of your most recent past limits is the perfect thing to push you to the next level.
If you ran 7 flights of stairs yesterday, then do 8 today. Who cares if the guy next to you did 15? It
doesn't make a bit of difference. You are a more fit person today than you were yesterday. Your
own progress is all you need.
2 . You will continuously be your personal best.
If you commit to a slightly higher standard of yourself every day, you will always be at the top of your game. And that game will only get better. But if for some reason you fall off your mark, you will always have the past image of your best performance to show you what you're capable of. Once you've lone it, you know what's possible and then it's just a matter of doing it again.
1. Through the passage the writer advises the readers to ____.
A. avoid comparison with others
B. work much harder
C. pay attention to others' progress
D. make full use of motivation
2. If you want to achieve your best, according to the author, you should ____.
3. Which of the following is certain to happen according to the author?
4. What can help you up to higher level in your life according to the passage?
A. Comparing yourself with the guy next to you.
B. Thinking about your own progress.
C. Promising to play a game every day.