Comparison at 16

I was comparing myself to people who were on completely different journeys and were way further/ahead in life. I was comparing my day 1 to their day 1000.

Being 16 with high & ambitious goals, I find myself feeling like everyone is miles ahead— especially when people around my age are becoming millionaires, influencers or being known for their successful businesses. Scrolling through social media and seeing all this makes me wonder, “how come I’m not there yet?” I felt like I was behind until changed my perspective to recognize that everyone’s on their own journey and I just need to focus on and build my own.

I like to look at content produced by people who’re in the same position where I want to be. The types of content would be “day in the life videos” by designers, fashion influencers, entrepreneurs, etc. or GRWMs to special events. Though their entertaining, seeing their success made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough, like I was somehow falling behind even though I was just trying to figure things out.

It felt like there was an invisible clock ticking, you have to be big before 21 or you’ll be too late. I didn’t think about the work they put in to be were they are now or the journeys full of ups and downs they had to go through. I’d try to figure out their timeline of success and see if my age and doings matched it.
4x State Champion? Nope.
Became viral at 16? Nope.
Own a multi million business? Nope.
Because I wasn’t on their timeline I felt like I had to rush to get things done and felt like I was too late.

After a bible study, I noticed that I wasn’t focused on the race God has set me on. I was comparing my day 1 to others day 1000. God showed me that He has marked out a path specifically for me to go on to bring Him the glory(Proverbs 16:9). Instead of trying to measure up to someone else’s time line, I had to make the mindset shift of knowing that I’m exactly where God wants me to be right now, and knowing that filled me with peace. It’s not like those people magically spawned in on day 1000 either, they had to build up to it. I don’t see the behind the scenes where they stayed up late constantly working or the setbacks to faced in the process. I can’t just sit around and wonder why I’m not at there level when I haven’t put the work in.

I’m still learning to completely lean on God and trust that He knows the desires of my heart and knows the best way to bring them to past so He can be glorified throughout it all. It’s not the destination that I should be completely focused on but the process in itself. I’ll still find myself comparing my life to others success stories time and time, but I quickly remind myself that I’m on my own journey with my own God-crafted unique path.

I can’t wait to see and reach what God has planned for me.