You make some good points, @journeyoflife, specifically, this: "Focus on growing somewhat every day. What's more, figure out how to commend the little progressions you are making without contrasting them with others."

It's a paradox, really, as social animals we are almost hard-wired to compare and contrast to measure our progress or the extent to which we fit in. But, all true 'competition' (mental, emotional, spiritual) should of course be with our past self.

If we insist on comparing ourselves to others, to better understand our development, perhaps we should compare ourselves with our future versions or who we hope to become :)

Cheers, Yahia (Egyptian thinker & poet)