Are you caught in the ‘Success Trap’?

Have you every played the ‘Social Comparison’ game?

If you’ve played the game using the typical game rules, you compare yourself to others, who through social and traditional forms of media, are either shown by themselves or by others to have more, be more, do more and succeed more than you.

Much of advertising and marketing is enticing you to play the social comparison game … buy the newest, biggest, most popular, ‘high-end’ this or that, or you won’t be as happy or successful as those who have those things.

I’ve certainly been sucked into playing it and at times it has cost me – emotionally, physically, financially, personally and professionally.

A Zero-Sum Game

Played in this way, social comparison is a zero-sum game … you just can’t win because someone else will always be better looking, be more popular, have more, be more, do more, and succeed more.

Playing the social comparison can also get you caught in the ‘Success Trap’.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be successful and satisfied with your life. However, if you’re chasing success while sucked into playing the social comparison game, you’re more than likely in a success trap … chasing success for all the wrong reasons.

The result of being caught in the success trap and playing the social comparison game is you often feel like a failure.

Forces and Distractions

Since early 2020 when the global Covid-19 pandemic struck, like so many others, I’ve been thinking deeply about what really matters in life, and what I know is this: Relationships matter!

I know you already know this, but what I’ve been researching and observing over the past few years is in our business and personal lives, there are a number of forces and distractions working against us to truly put relationships at the top of our priorities where they belong.

Here are just a few of those forces:

• Lock-downs during the pandemic
• Economic and Financial pressures
• Job insecurity
• Social media (social comparisons and success traps)
• An acceptance of ever-diminishing attention spans
• Work overwhelm, stress, anxiety from being constantly asked to do more with less (and an expectation to work longer hours without being paid for it)
• Addictions to mobile devices and FOMO

My biggest concern is an acceptance that this is just the way things are.

However, while there are many things that are outside your control, it is an inescapable truth that being more intentional with your choices and actions, in your business and personal lives, is certainly within your control.

The Big Question

The big question is, which choices and actions will lead you to higher levels of life satisfaction (and yes … success in your business and personal life)?

It is this question that I’ve been researching, both academically and experientially for most of my adult life and it is the answers to that question (because there are many answers, not just one) that I will be sharing with you …

Let’s Have A Conversation

Have you ever been in a conversation with others and realised no one is really interested in what you think or feel?

I genuinely want you to know what you think and how you feel about all this.

I really do want to have a conversation with you and others because this is important for you and for all of us.

So, if what I’ve posted is of interest, (or maybe your attention span hasn’t allowed you to read this far), let me know by commenting. I promise I will respond, and who knows, maybe our conversation just might help someone else (it almost always will).

For now, my best to you.