How to excel in a world where everyone seems to be better than you.

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We are all too familiar with the feeling. When you started out doing something, full of vigor, full of passion, feeling like you had all it takes to tackle the world. Maybe it's your first day in the job or college, or when you finally wanna start that side thing you've been putting on hold. You know everything, you've got it covered.

AND THEN you saw others who are in it longer than you do. They are more experienced, have better know-how, and are definitely better than you. in fact, you realized, being so late in the game, you are probably one of the worst. 

It can be discouraging,  if only because you above average willpower. Normally most people quit trying all together, feel dejected, give up. “I mean, whats the point?”, that's the go-to excuse. “Everyone else is better of me, I cant even catch up to the crowd let alone lead it”. 

The beauty is that you don't have run with catching up in mind. Just start running, don't slow down, don't stop. You'll realize after a time that not only you've caught up, you're actually ahead of the crowd. You've beaten everyone in the race. But how?

Will Smith has famously said:

(image by azquotes.com)

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If action speak louder than words, Will practically shouts his quote in how he live his life.

He's the highest grossing actor in Hollywood film industry, almost every film with him as lead actor is gold. As of the time of this post, every movie that he's ever had leading roles in has grossed a total of more than $7.5 billion in global box office sales. And two of his roles has made him received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Not to mention his notable music career where he made 5 albums and sang songs like “Just the Two of Us”. No doubt, he's one of if not the best actor in Hollywood, and a singer to boot.

Despite that, he's still hustling, making movies well to the very present (2017) even when he has a personal net worth at upwards of $260 million. Why? Who is he trying to beat and why work when he's already among the richest and most prestigious man?

Because he wants to beat a different opponent.

The better way to say it is that he switched his mindset in terms of seeing who as opponents.

image by Pinterest

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For people like Will Smith, his true opponent is himself. The man he challenges to the treadmill isn't anyone else but a different version of himself. It is the weaker him, one that is less disciplined, generous, charismatic, experienced, less dedicated version of himself. Him from the past. That's who he's fighting to beat everyday, Every. Single. Day. If only by a small margin.   

James Altucher coined the famous 1% Rule for Creating All Habits. By striving to be better at something by 1% everyday, in 1 years time, through the compounding effect, you'll be 38 times better than when you first started the year before.   

1% a day doesn't sound like much. If you're writing and you wrote 100 words yesterday, write 101 words today. Going to the gym? Add just 1 more rep to one of your sets. Studying? Answer 1 extra question in your assignment, wake up a minute early, meditate 3 seconds more. Sooner than later, you'll realize you're the only one in the office at 9PM planning your tasks 6 months ahead of time, or that you're the only one in the library at 11PM at night to research a paper 3 months ahead of deadline so that you can revise it 30 times. Or that you're the only one in the gym at 5am in the morning.

While people are trying to only top each other, you, like Will Smith, is running a different race. Of course, It's not easy to put in much more effort when you know you're already somewhere at the top. It's hard to keep up the outstanding work when you're ahead. But that's what makes your work outstanding.

Many people don't have what it takes to stay up late editing a better dissertation or wake up early to meditate and reflect on their achievements and room for improvement. But you are, and everyday you'll find a way to be just that 1% better than you were. You are still running, running against yourself.

It wouldn't take you long to notice that you have excelled in what you aspire to do. You have become the very people that others “look up to and feel discouraged”. But you know how you've reached here. You know the work you've put into getting to where you are. And you are that much wiser now in how to excel.

And when that happens, I hope you keep running.

Stay Awesome.  

Awesomianist

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Image Credit: Otherwise stated, all image is provided by Photographer Ed Gregory via Stockpic.com if you're looking for awesome HD pics under CC0 license like ones in this post, do check him out.

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P.S. | If you haven't noticed yet, this is my first post. In fact this is the very first blog I've ever written. I think perhaps I'm breaking a tradition but i was thinking maybe i can link this post in my #introduceyourself post later on. I'm welcome to every and all constructive criticism and comments, that's the best way for you guys to tell me where i can improve on. Very excited to see what lies ahead of my writing journey and hopefully I can be a part and parcel of steemit writers very soon.