There is an adage that says comparison is the thief of joy. Indeed it is. What we fail to ask is what makes us compare ourselves. We always look to the outside, which causes that comparison. The answer out of this trap is between our ears — our mind; specifically, our beliefs. Here are three of the most common beliefs that’s holding us back and makes us focus on the outside and fall victim to comparison.

BELIEFS WE HAVE ABOUT OURSELVES — Whether we think we can or cannot, we’re right. If we see ourselves as not capable, guess what? We wouldn’t even try! Some of this might be based on experience and, to some degree it might be true, but we shouldn’t let that define our future. Maybe the conditions before may have made the belief true, but present or new conditions might make them untrue. Challenge your beliefs, create new ones and conquer your career before it's too late.

BELIEFS ABOUT OTHERS — Judgement is good. It protects us. But some of these judgements are based on assumptions or preconceived associations. It is limiting because we might learn from others, we might see a different point of view, or we might be letting our beliefs not move forward. Withholding our judgment and testing the merits of someone else’s view will free us from current traps and may even open new possibilities.

BELIEFS ABOUT THE WORLD — Some beliefs are global and we don’t realize they’re actually keeping us stuck. Again, usually based on experience, a chain of evidence, or a held view reinforced by experience, the news, and other people’s opinions. What we believe is of tremendous practical importance. False beliefs about physical or social facts lead us into poor habits of action that in the most extreme cases could threaten our survival. 

These beliefs make us think the grass is always greener on the other side. Comparison. Well, the grass is green on the other side, and not your side, maybe because you haven’t been tending to your grass — enough to make it as greener, or even better, than what is on the other side. That tending, one form of doing that, is checking our beliefs and checking how it is limiting us.