Comparison is the thief of joy.

We've all heard it before, and it's true.

Sometimes.

It seems like there's always a sometimes, or an asterisk, or a gray area.

Comparison can be an incredible tool in simply reminding you that you're playing small, maybe way too small.

So from time to time, I'll use comparison to help me paint that picture, to create that outlook.

Quick example. So on the shelves behind me and on my audible library on my phone,

there's a ton of books and biographies about the founding fathers and other notable American

presidents. Why? Well, because they lived lives of such courage. They lived with such

conviction. They just lived differently than we live

today. And it forces me to ask the tough questions. It's like, well, why? What makes up for that

difference in magnitude?

I mean, was it simply the times?

Were they a product of their moment in history?

Were they more determined?

Did they have more self-belief?

Where is this delta that I'm seeing

when I look at their reality versus mine?

You read Hamilton's biography, who's not a president, but you get the point.

You know, in my toughest battles seem to contain the same level of intensity and weight

as his decision just want to fly.

Right? So I'm going to run through three bullets that sort of frame my thinking.

...