Superiority and self-worth

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

Ernest Hemingway

We often compare ourselves with others. We compare ourselves to friends, siblings, fellow workers, and even our parents. From these comparisons, we make estimations of our self-worth.

However, in most situations in life, there is no fair comparison. No two lives are the same. No two people are the same. It is all a game in our imagination, that makes us feel better (e.g. I have more than her, so I am better) or worse (e.g. I have less than her, so I am worse). As Ernest is suggesting, focusing on self-improvement is a better goal to aim for, than being or feeling superior to others.

If you have difficulties with making comparisons and recognising your self-worth, therapy might help.