.Have you ever noticed that it is a rare thing to find children all skilled in the same thing?
The classic three child scenario is that the first child has free reign and usually becomes mobile and vocal before the second. The second arrives and find that the 'skills' of the elder child too advanced to compete and so moves into unfilled niches, often sport. The third arrives and can't compete academically as well as the first or athletically as well as the second and looks for another unfilled niche, often humour.
Generalisations, but you get what I mean.
The same happens in our adult life, where we compare ourselves to people who do something really well and so, because we believe that we can't compete or exceed this benchmark, we give up.
The only benchmark should be you. Are you better
now than you were
then?
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In year 10 at high school I was always second to Keith Ayres (Hi Keith, if you are reading this!). Time and time again, in all subjects, Keith topped the class and I was second.
Except for Art. I was much better at art than Keith was.
But, come the final mark for the year, Keith beat me. The rationale of the teacher was that he had improved more than I had over the year.
Only now do I really understand what she was on about.
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Use the talents you possess,
for the woods would be a very silent place
if no birds sang except the best.
- Henry Van Dyke.
