The Most Important Thing Is to Run Your Own Race
By: Rahul Anand
Tags: Growth Mindset, Life, Motivation, Life Lessons, Growth

The Life Chronicles

The Most Important Thing Is to Run Your Own Race

Aim your target. Rest falls in place. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

I confess I am sort of pissed to live a life dictated by what others do or achieve.

I want out- screamed my head a few months back.

More often than not, we judge our lives based on what others are doing. We get into a mental trap of idealizing life basis other’s lenses.

In a world that is open to constant scrutiny, it’s easier to fall prey and give in to the temptation of comparisons and evaluations.

After all, how would you know how far you’ve reached if you have no clue how many did you leave behind?

I have always measured my success through the parameters of comparisons. The thing is, you can never be happy and peaceful once you get into the comparison game.

Someone will always have more money, a better job, a better car, or a better grade.

Good luck finding better than everyone.

There have been recent studies citing the example of Facebook and its effect on our psyche.

It says that excessive use could increase feelings of jealousy, eventually leading to depression. It states a valid point, I’d say.

The social platforms have become the places to brag, and once you plunge into them, all you see are happy faces, big cars, palaces, and that uber-cool life.

I am not against bragging, but the thing is, it doesn’t show the complete picture. It’s a mixture of fake and real with lavish and extravagant in our face all the time, while we are oblivious to the struggle and credibility of the high life claims.

Every other day you get a pop up of someone who went on to vacay in the Maldives or bought a brand new car. This constant reminder of everybody doing exceptionally well with their lives while you are lying in your pajamas eating bloody stale popcorns is a painful reminder of how far you are left.

It’s easier to get engrossed in how less you are, compared to that guy who took a picture posing as the owner of some Porsche.

With the overdose of the beautiful and serene life of almost everyone on the internet, you tend to lose sight of what you aspire.

Eventually, the trickery leads you towards worrying about what others are doing, while your focus sways from yourself and the things you wanted.

An apt example would be sprint athletes and their dedication towards the finish line. The margin of error is in milliseconds, and once you even think of looking over your shoulder to check out the guy behind you, damn, you are finished.

For most of the races you view, look at how the lead sprinter finishes. They eye the finish line and not how far behind is the guy next to you. They run their own race.

Life is not “ You vs. Them”

We are all pitted against somebody. Right? That’s how we get conditioned since our childhood. Your teacher thrashes you, quoting some bright student doing so well while you are screwing it royally.

Similarly, the parents are at you for unable to exhibit brilliance like your neighborhood chap.

Where’s your life then? It living was all about imitating someone else, why evolve even?

Let’s imitate and play this, for your originality is not required. Keep your thoughts to yourself while following the herd.

The thing is, while we are all pitted against each other, you still have to run your own race. Life is always competitive, and the goal should be to better yourself and evolve your game rather than trying to beat others at theirs.

While writing this article, there would be thousands of other writers penning down the same thoughts. Does that mean I ought to compete with them? No.

I can either run my own race or end up living bothered by what someone else is about to put down.

Do I intend to claim the numero uno position? No.

The thought of changing someone’s mind, even if it’s a single person, is good enough for me. I don’t plan to eat your subscriber. I intend to make mine. If you write fifty words daily, write a hundred now.

If you plan on making it to the big league, there is no point following someone who writes thousands of words daily. Carve your path. Chances are you get overawed by things and end up doing nothing since the odds are heavily stacked against you.

Initially, when this all started, I thought writing is all about, well, writing. Gradually, articles after articles and sleepless nights, it became clear that people are way ahead on the ladder that I can probably ever climb.

It became an uphill task. As a result, I barely wrote. The race was lost in the head. There was no way to catch up while giving up seemed logical.

The thing being, I was racing against others. It’s like standing on the sidelines of a hundred-meter sprint and someone asking you to join the sprint past eight seconds into the race. You are bound to look shitty and lose.

The world rewards you for standing apart while accommodates you for following the herd. You decide.

Mind your own business- small or big

Tell me something better if not this. While we regularly seek this from others, we need it more than ever. It’s a simple principle of doing what you are doing and not worrying a bit about the world. The world may be making a device that could make you invisible, but can you?

Try keeping it simple and staying concerned about what you are doing and where you plan to reach. Put the blinders on both sides and march straight ahead with what you plan to do.

Is someone else going to change your life or run your race? The only person who can is you. You may be planning to reach among the top 500 while someone may be aiming for the top slot. These are two different races. Run yours.

You may have a target of living in peace with little while your friend may target to become a millionaire. Does that even compare? Are these races the same?

We are so engrossed with what others are up to that we never reach our true potentials. We are ignorant of our abilities due to the constant focus on what others can do. We loath ourselves by not measuring up against society’s standards.

It’s like Michael Jordan being jealous of Bill gates and left playing basketball as he wanted to start something like Microsoft.

Glad he didn’t, though, and the same goes for Bill.

Sanity prevails, the world wins.

Isn’t it original and fascinating to follow the path you decide best? Can there be anything more empowering than this?

Look around, and you see dull faces, dropped shoulders with stressed heads as everybody did precisely, as fed.

It appears that it didn’t work out for most.

Someone will always have more and better. Comparing yourself to people who have more and better will never help your cause. In hindsight, if you better yourself every day knowing your goal and destination, you’ll find peace and satisfaction.

We are unique in our ways, and running your own race is a great reminder and reinforcement to fulfill your destiny through the inherent uniqueness.

Remember that the race ends up being dead, and you might as well make it worth it.

Running your own race means taking care of your dreams and aspirations. Do not let anyone hinder your progress, and stop looking over your shoulder for who’s where.

You are here, and you’ll make it farther.