One of the most common issues teenagers face in high school is constantly comparing themselves to others, whether it's about who has better grades, more impressive extracurriculars, or other achievements. Whatever the case may be, obsessive comparison and unnecessary competition can be extremely unhealthy in both the short and long term.

However, to preface, I understand that comparison might help motivate people in some ways. For instance, if my friends studied hard, I’d likely want to study more and be productive too. The comparisons I'm pinpointing are the unhealthy and intrusive ones where you spend a lot of time being upset or jealous of others' progress.

Image Credits: Nico Knaack from Unsplash

As a sophomore navigating high school life, comparison and competition were two constant problems that had been ingrained in my mind subconsciously for a long time. It wasn’t until I recognized the need to change that I got rid of these bad habits. A change of mindset can simply resolve this.

Once you shift your mindset, these mental challenges will gradually fade in your favor. I wanted to share some mindset tips I use whenever thoughts of comparison or competition come up!

Image Credits: Clay Banks from Unsplash

1. Everyone moves at their own pace and has a different destination.

Imagine walking down the street and there's someone ahead of you, seemingly going in the same direction. Sometimes it feels like you're stuck following them, but eventually, you’ll realize that most of the time, these strangers go their own way in the blink of an eye, and you might even turn a different way before they do. That’s how life works: everyone has a different destination.

There’s no need to compare your pace to others who seem to be heading in the same direction. If you keep walking, you’ll reach your destination too.

Image Credits: Ryoji Iwata from Unsplash

Take the Quiz: What is your IQ level?

Find out how smart you are by taking this quiz!

2. There are many, if not countless, individuals you are competing with.

When it comes to academic achievements, there will always be someone better than you, and someone better than them. The competition never ends. Even if you “outcompete” a peer, there’s always going to be someone who’s two times “better” than you.

So what’s the point? Instead of living in constant stress and anxiety, why not spend the time focusing on becoming the version of yourself you want to be? This never-ending competition mindset drains your mental health and can hurt your performance in the long run.

Image Credits: Rob Curran from Unsplash

3. There is never a good result from comparison.

The best outcome for competitions is winning, so let's say you "outcompete" this classmate of yours, what's next? Comparing yourself to others doesn’t benefit your growth or well-being. You're not going to get a trophy, and it’s not going to bring peace of mind. You're forever stuck in this cycle, worried about whether the other person is going to outperform you the next time or about finding a new person to compare yourself to.

Image Credit: Jeremy Bishop from Unsplash

4. There isn't a measuring standard, as everyone is unique in their ways.

I want to end these tips with what I think is the most important one: truly understanding that everyone is unique. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences growing up, so there is no such thing as fair competition. Someone being "better" than you might simply mean they had to work harder and spend more time because of their circumstances.

Or, they simply have more resources and connections to give them better opportunities. Thus, comparison is just unnecessary.

Image Credit: Hasmik Ghazayran Olson from Unsplash

This process of changing your mindset might take a bit of time, but you're the only one who can determine how you want to live your life, whether it's in constant anxiety or with peace in mind. I believe in you, you got this!