--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We habitually compare ourselves to others…" description: "\"“We habitually compare ourselves to others to a debilitating degree, believing our successes can only be captured by how much we've outpaced someone el..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/stacey-may-fowles-50636_solitude_we-habitually-compare-ourselves-to-other_1810799.jpg" --- # We habitually compare ourselves to others to a… ![“We habitually compare ourselves to others to a debilitating degree, believing our successes can only be captured by how much we've outpaced someone else. We deal in acceptable ideas. We disregard our own capabilities. We waste a lot of time and emotion on what everyone else is doing well or badly…” quote by Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/stacey-may-fowles-50636_solitude_we-habitually-compare-ourselves-to-other_1810799.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/stacey-may-fowles-50636_solitude_we-habitually-compare-ourselves-to-other_1810799.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/stacey-may-fowles-50636_solitude_we-habitually-compare-ourselves-to-other_1810799.jpg) > ““We habitually compare ourselves to others to a debilitating degree, believing our successes can only be captured by how much we've outpaced someone else. We deal in acceptable ideas. We disregard our own capabilities. We waste a lot of time and emotion on what everyone else is doing well or badly, when we should be investing in and celebrating ourselves. And sometimes we simply forget that we like our own company, or that we love things for our own, deeply personal, individualistic reasons. In short, we forget ourselves, and how to be alone.”” [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We constantly measure ourselves against others, losing sight of our own worth and unique motivations, which leads to wasted emotional energy and neglect of self‑care. **In simple terms:** Comparing to others blinds us to our own value. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth and self‑appreciation. Themes self‑esteem individuality mental health Mood reflective calm Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal journaling - mindful meditation Key Concepts psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you celebrate your own achievements daily? - What activities make you feel content alone? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on comparison can still cause anxiety despite awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habitually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitually-304026/) [Habitually Compare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitually-compare-2112847/) [Individualistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualistic/) [Individualistic Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualistic-reasons-2112846/) [Personal Individualistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-individualistic-2112845/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/a-lot-of-habitually-creative-people-have-preparation-rituals-linked/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Whatever you habitually think yourself to be, that you are. You must form, now, a greater and better habit; you must form a conception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/whatever-you-habitually-think-yourself-to-be-that-you-are-you-must/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [“He habitually wears an expression as if he had determined to drive his head through a brick wall, and was about to do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harry-williams/he-habitually-wears-an-expression-as-if-he-had-determined-to-drive/) [T. Harry Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harry-williams/) > [The world in which you live is not primarily determined by outward conditions and circumstances but by the thoughts that habitually occupy your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/the-world-in-which-you-live-is-not-primarily-determined-by-outward/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [We become what we habitually contemplate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-russell/we-become-what-we-habitually-contemplate/) [George Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-russell/) > [A people among whom there is no habit of spontaneous action for a collective interest - who look habitually to their government to command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/a-people-among-whom-there-is-no-habit-of-spontaneous-action-for-a/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“In fact, some people use humour so habitually that it is hard for them to remain serious for any length of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hough/in-fact-some-people-use-humour-so-habitually-that-it-is-hard-for-them/) [Margaret Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hough/) > [“We are thus led to ask what the writer looks for and how he trains himself to look for it. 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Therefore we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/5-zazen-or-the-sitting-in-meditation-habit-comes-out-of-practice-and/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [Whatever attitudes we habitually use toward ourselves, we will use on others, and whatever attitudes we habitually use toward others, we will use on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henepola-gunaratana/whatever-attitudes-we-habitually-use-toward-ourselves-we-will-use-on/) [Henepola Gunaratana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henepola-gunaratana/) > [As a sex, women are habitually indolent; and every thing tends to make them so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/as-a-sex-women-are-habitually-indolent-and-every-thing-tends-to-make/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“As long as the acquisition of knowledge is rendered habitually repugnant, so long will there be a prevailing tendency to discontinue it when free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/as-long-as-the-acquisition-of-knowledge-is-rendered-habitually/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Advancement only come with habitually doing more than you are asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan/advancement-only-come-with-habitually-doing-more-than-you-are-asked/) [Gary Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan/) > [“You can habitually lie to me, but in the long term it is probably not going to go well for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-can-habitually-lie-to-me-but-in-the-long-term-it-is-probably-not/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Stacey May Fowles > [“Though we often throw around the idea, there really is no sacred Church of Baseball-there are only the people who built it and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/though-we-often-throw-around-the-idea-there-really-is-no-sacred/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [“Baseball can indeed break your heart, but, without fail, it will always find a way to make it whole again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/baseball-can-indeed-break-your-heart-but-without-fail-it-will-always/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [“Men go to the ballpark with an assumed knowledge and interest, whereas women need to constantly demonstrate how much they know and care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/men-go-to-the-ballpark-with-an-assumed-knowledge-and-interest-whereas/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [“We're happy to participate in something we are deeply afraid will break out hearts, because we know, no matter the outcome it makes our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/we-re-happy-to-participate-in-something-we-are-deeply-afraid-will/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [“The best way to deal with the voice that tells you that you're not good enough, or smart enough, or qualified enough, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/the-best-way-to-deal-with-the-voice-that-tells-you-that-you-re-not/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [“The thing that matters most is how the game brings out our shared humanity. It is a lesson we are all in need of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/the-thing-that-matters-most-is-how-the-game-brings-out-our-shared/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) [Explore all 7 Stacey May Fowles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) ## More Individualistic quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The only truly individualistic health-care choice - where you receive care that is unpolluted by anyone else's funds - is to forgo insurance altogether,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/the-only-truly-individualistic-health-care-choice-where-you-receive/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [Be yourself! Be individualistic!' he called out after me. 'But for God's sake get your hair cut. You look like an oddball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-zindel/be-yourself-be-individualistic-he-called-out-after-me-but-for-god-s/) [Paul Zindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-zindel/) > [ I think ultimately, people are selfish in that department \[blues\], in a good way - the reason we're attracted to art is because it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/i-think-ultimately-people-are-selfish-in-that-department-blues-in-a/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [In Savasana or in meditation, the light of the eyes is drawn towards the lotus of the heart, so that the seat of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/in-savasana-or-in-meditation-the-light-of-the-eyes-is-drawn-towards/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [In the post-individualistic era, science and spirituality will become allies, and human beings will realize a vast potentiality now only dimly felt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/in-the-post-individualistic-era-science-and-spirituality-will-become/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Computer programmers tend, by and large, to be quirky and highly individualistic. Trying to organize or manage such awkward characters is normally as thankless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/computer-programmers-tend-by-and-large-to-be-quirky-and-highly/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [Tennis belongs to the individualistic past - a hero, or at most a pair of friends or lovers, against the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/tennis-belongs-to-the-individualistic-past-a-hero-or-at-most-a-pair/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Lawyering is very individualistic. There are lawyers who are going to be that persistent birddog, they're never going to give up on the client,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-stewart/lawyering-is-very-individualistic-there-are-lawyers-who-are-going-to/) [Lynne Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-stewart/) > [I was always interested in science, truth, goodness and fairness. I have always been strongly individualistic and merit-oriented. This is probably because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-kinsella/i-was-always-interested-in-science-truth-goodness-and-fairness-i-have/) [Stephan Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-kinsella/) > [It's a matter of whether you see the self as fundamentally in relationship to other selves or not - whether you see the boundary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gish-jen/it-s-a-matter-of-whether-you-see-the-self-as-fundamentally-in/) [Gish Jen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gish-jen/) > [Another hallmark of Christianity is that salvation is not individualistic-it's not something one person receives for himself or herself. Salvation is the reign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/another-hallmark-of-christianity-is-that-salvation-is-not/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) [Browse all 83 Individualistic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualistic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We habitually compare ourselves to others to a debilitating degree, believing our successes can only be captured by how much we've outpaced someone else. We deal in acceptable ideas. We disregard our own capabilities. We waste a lot of time and emotion on what everyone else is doing well or badly, when we should be investing in and celebrating ourselves. And sometimes we simply forget that we like our own company, or that we love things for our own, deeply personal, individualistic reasons. 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