The Thief of Joy
– Monday Mindset –

Today’s Monday Mindset: The Thief of Joy

From: PGC Basketball President, Mano Watsa

I want to share with you something that’s more personal. I’ve struggled with this on and off at different points in my life and it just came up again this past week.

Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of all joy.”

For basketball players watching, I remember trying out for the national team, and there was this point guard, Shane Bascoe. This guy could move. He was so silky smooth. I was sitting there in tryouts just comparing myself to him, thinking, “Man, the way he passes, the way he goes by guys, the way he’s so fluid on the court.”

The more I compared myself to him, the worse it made me feel.

Because comparison is the thief of all joy.

By the time I got on the court, well, I was a fraction of who I knew I could play as because I’d been comparing myself to Shane, this amazing player, this entire time.

As basketball players, it’s so easy to wish we could shoot like somebody else, jump like somebody else, wish we had the height of someone else. Any time you’re saying “I wish,” you’re probably comparing yourself against someone else or something that you don’t have. It just leaves you ending up feeling miserable, or discouraged, or disappointed with who you are, or what you have.

We tend to do it so easily with almost anything. We can compare ourselves to friends, to family, to co-workers, with their houses, their success, their careers. Whatever it might be, their relationships, their disciplines, their habits, and how they get to travel, whatever it might be.

At different points in my life, just like I did in that national team tryout, I found myself comparing myself to others. I listen to a lot of amazing speakers like leadership guru John Maxwell, or Tony Robbins, or different pastors I follow, people who seem to have it all together, everything together in life.

Sometimes when I compare myself to these individuals, I feel less. “Oh, my habits aren’t good enough. My disciplines aren’t where they need to be. There’s another level of success I’ve got to go for.”

I have to remind myself, comparison is the thief of all joy. Maybe you need this reminder, too today.

Here’s a few things you can do to combat it.

Gratitude. Gratitude for what you have instead of what you don’t have.

The second is stop comparing. Everybody starts life at a different point.

I had a friend who was comparing himself to me, and he said, “Mano, I just got to say, I’m nearly your age and I haven’t done any of the things you’ve done.” I was like, “Oh my goodness. You’re comparing yourself to me. I’m comparing myself to others. We’re all in this same boat.”

I said, “Don’t compare yourself to me, because we all start at different points on the field.” If you think of a football field analogy, some start from their own end zone. Some start at the 20 or 30 yard line. I feel like I’ve started life from the 50 yard line.

I had the benefit of having two amazing parents, having mentors and models in my life, having coaches that took me under their wing. Being born into a great country. Being born healthy. There are just so many things that put me on the 50 yard line. I said to my friend, “Don’t compare yourself to me.”

Then I realized, “Wait, why am I comparing myself to others?” Stop comparing.

The power of yesterday. Then the last one is if you want something to compare yourself to, compare yourself to you yesterday. PGC founder Dick DeVenzio calls it the power of you yesterday. That’s a good comparison.

Are you better than you were yesterday? Don’t beat yourself up and get discouraged if you’re not. Just let it be a source of inspiration. Just as you see others further along in the journey, instead of comparing yourself, let them inspire you.

Let the progress you’ve made from you yesterday be a source of inspiration to be better today.

I’m starting fresh today. I’m going to be better than I was yesterday.

Compare yourself against you yesterday, the power of you yesterday.

To recap, comparison is the thief of all joy –

That’s your Monday Mindset.